Promoting gender equality across the policy and programme framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is crucial for the Organization to realize its mandate to eradicate poverty and eliminate hunger and malnutrition. Across the Asia-Pacific region, women are well recognized as important contributors to food production and all other aspects of food systems. However, their lives and livelihoods are being affected in unprecedented ways by persistent social and gender inequalities, climate change and the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The Regional Gender Strategy and Action Plan 2022–2025 for Asia and the Pacific translates FAO’s corporate Policy on Gender Equality 2020-2030 and gender action plan into an actionable agenda and presents the strategic and programme framework for FAO’s gender-related work in the region.

The main objectives of the Regional Gender Strategy and Action Plan are to: i) identify and respond to regional trends and challenges that affect women’s equal and meaningful participation in the sectors of agriculture, forestry, livestock and fisheries; ii) mainstream gender perspectives in the regional priorities; iii) establish regional focus areas that will enable gender equality and women’s empowerment across agriculture, forestry, livestock, aquaculture and fisheries sectors; and iv) respond to new and emerging challenges and needs to build back gender-sensitive and -resilient lives and livelihoods.

The strategy and action plan includes the two-year action plan for the region and the action and outreach plan which shows how FAO intends to reach out to different stakeholders and partners through various activities.