Understanding barriers to women’s participation in the UN climate negotiations: perspectives from the least developed countries

Since 2008, women have accounted for approximately one in three delegates at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations. At the current rate of change, gender parity in heads of delegation, of whom only about 10% are women, will not be achieved in the foreseeable future.

This research examines the underlying factors that contribute to this low representation, focusing on the perspectives of delegates from the 45 least developed countries (LDCs), which on average have lower rates of women participating in UNFCCC negotiations than other regions.

We focused on four areas of analysis: governance; gender-based education and assets; gender-based rights and participation; and leadership and decision making. We surveyed over 140 respondents and interviewed 28 stakeholders who are familiar with the UNFCCC about their experiences with the negotiations and who represent viewpoints from 35 of the 45 LDCs.

The report also includes case studies from Mozambique, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, which have recently passed or implemented policies related to gender equality, highlighting nuances or adaptations that other countries can take and contextualise to their own environment.

Our findings show that the lack of financial resources plays an outsized role in government involvement in the negotiations and the involvement of female delegates in particular. Overarching reflections on potential gender biases in delegate selection, cultural norms, the UNFCCC process and what constitutes leadership and meaningful participation in the negotiations added more nuanced insights to the discussion.

This report recommends a series of actions for national governments, the Least Developed Countries Group, the UNFCCC and funders to foster more inclusive and diverse representation in UNFCCC negotiations. Our hope is that this report launches further study and experience- and lesson-sharing to increase the participation of women and men from the most vulnerable countries in international climate change decision making.