For the first time in history, there is a tool to monitor
progress toward gender equality in the context of global environmental
governance. The Environment and Gender Index (EGI) - a project of IUCN
- provides the best quantitative data to date on how nations are
translating gender and environment mandates into national policy and planning.
Comparative data across 72 developed and developing countries will help
decision-makers, civil society, and others evaluate progress while identifying
where the gaps lie in achieving gender equality in the environmental context.
The index will be particularly useful for those working on issues related to
environment, livelihoods, governance, education, health and security.
For
the past two decades, governments have established new international mandates
ensuring that gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to
environmental decision-making and sustainable development. However, the lack of
a mechanism to monitor and measure government progress has contributed to
little or no implementation of these mandates.
The EGI provides the first quantitative
data on governments’ performance translating the gender and environment
mandates in the three Rio Conventions and CEDAW into national policy and
planning. The resulting information will help policymakers, civil society, and
others evaluate progress and identify where the gaps lie in achieving gender
equality in the environmental context.