AN INDICATOR TO MONITOR PROGRESS TOWARDS THE GENDER RESPONSIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK
© Aung Chan Thar / Women4Biodiversity
BACKGROUND
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted in Montreal on 19th December 2022 acknowledges that the “Successful implementation of the Framework will depend on ensuring gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, and on reducing inequalities”. The GBF includes 23 targets to be met by 2030 and advances four long-term goals as part of the vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050. The GBF includes a gender-specific target related to the gender-responsive implementation of the GBF (Target 23), and Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) also adopted an ambitious Gender Plan of Action (GPA) to guide Parties with following a gender-responsive approach. The Gender Plan of Action (GPA) provides a pathway to support and promote the gender-responsive implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The Plan of Action will also help a gender-responsive approach to applying the implementation mechanisms associated with the Framework. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is accompanied by a detailed monitoring framework comprised of a set of agreed indicators for tracking progress towards the Goals and Targets of the Framework. It includes headline indicators recommended for national, regional and global monitoring, as well as more detailed components and complementary indicators. The monitoring Framework will provide information on how the world is faring in achieving the KM-GBF’s Goals and Targets. It will continue to be developed and enhanced in the coming years by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) and the Conference of the Parties.
THE METHODOLOGY
It is evident that there are critical gaps in the suite of indicators in the monitoring framework that relate to gender equality. For example, Target 23 has a global/binary indicator and includes a component indicator on the national implementation of the Gender Plan of Action. However, the indicator of the national implementation of the Gender Plan of Action lacked a developed methodology. Therefore, a robust measure that can help Parties monitor progress towards the ambitious Target 23 is needed.
Towards this, Women4Biodiversity and UNEP-WCMC with support from SwedBio collaborated on development of the indicator methodology with UNEP-WCMC leading the development of the methodology, and Women4Biodiversity leading the required engagement activities to ensure co-design with relevant stakeholders, experts and Parties.
UNEP-WCMC’s technical experts developed a methodology, which includes 18 survey questions based on the 18 indicative actions outlined in the Gender Plan of Action for which Parties are the lead responsible actors. The team have also developed an index-calculation tool that enables Parties to quantify their progress towards the national implementation of the Gender Plan of Action based on their responses to the 18 survey questions.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDICATOR
The work towards the indicator methodology began in December 2023 with the financial support provided by Swedbio. In April 2024, the draft of the methodology was completed. Subsequently, the methodology was shared with CBD Parties, women’s groups and relevant Major stakeholders of the CBD through two virtual information sessions as well as an in-person information session held on the sidelines of the Information Workshop of on the work of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Indicators on the Monitoring Framework, Synthetic Biology and Risk Assessment held on the 11th of May, 2024 just before the 26th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA).
SBSTTA 26 officially acknowledged the process of developing of the indicator methodology to measure progress towards the national implementation of the gender plan of action.
Following this, through June-August 2024, the indicator methodology was tested and improved upon by 12 Parties through bilateral sessions held virtually with Gender and Biodiversity Focal Points and members of the AHTEG on indicators. They provided substantial inputs to the draft methodology through one-on-one consultation sessions and pilot test runs of the methodology and calculation tool towards their own national contexts. Through an announcement by the CBD in July 2024, the indicator methodology has also been subject to a peer review process. These invaluable contributions have supported the ongoing co-development of the draft indicator methodology.
The first information session on 24 April 2024 with UNEP-WCMC
The second information session on 26 April 2024 with UNEP-WCMC
The first in-person information session at SBSTTA-26 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Two new information sessions were conducted in October to update on the progress and peer review process of the Indicator methodology on the national implementation of the Gender Plan of Action. The sessions were planned for 2 AM EDT and 10 AM EDT.
AT CBD COP 16
Women4Biodiversity and UNEP-WCMC presented the updated methodology at a virtual event on 04 October 2024 (Watch the recordings in English, Spanish and French here). The final, peer-reviewed methodology shall be launched during the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 16). Towards this, Women4Biodiversity will host side events on 21 October at JUSCANZ, Plaza One. Another side event will be on 22 October at the Columbia Pavillion.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Women4Biodiversity hopes and encourages CBD parties to adopt the methodology for implementing the Gender Plan of Action for Target 23 as adopted in Decisions 15/5 under the component indicators for Target 23 to support the implementation of the full KM GBF and ensure that all actions for environment policies are inclusive, transformative, and just. Women4Biodiversity will continue to advocate for this issue at the UN Biodiversity Conference in 21 October – 1 November 2024 in Cali, Colombia.
TIMELINE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDICATOR ON NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GENDER PLAN OF ACTION
December 2022
Monitoring Framework Adopted at CBF COP15
January 2024 – March 2023
UNEP-WCMC and Women4Biodiversity collaborate to develop the indicator methodology
April 2024
• Draft of the indicator methodology ready for comments and suggestions
• First virtual information sessions
May 2024
In-person information session and noted by parties at SBSTTA-26 in Kenya
June – September 2024
• Bilateral virtual sessions with parties
• Peer review process
October 2024
Continued advocacy at CBD COP16 to encourage the Parties to adopt the indicator methodology
