Maldives launches process for gender-based climate policy
Inception workshop marks start of Maldives first Climate Change Gender Action Plan, aiming to align climate responses with gender equity and inclusive governance
MALE, Maldives (MNTV) — Maldives has taken a first formal step toward integrating gender equity into its climate policy framework, launching a national workshop to begin work on the country’s inaugural Climate Change Gender Action Plan (CC-GAP).
The inception workshop, held earlier this week, brought together government institutions, academic bodies, civil society groups and international partners, signalling a coordinated push to embed gender considerations into climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
The initiative is being led by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment in coordination with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, reflecting growing recognition that climate impacts in island nations are not gender-neutral. Officials said the planned framework aims to address how climate risks intersect with livelihoods, health, disaster preparedness and access to economic opportunities.
Speaking at the opening, State Minister for Tourism and Environment Ibrahim Mimrah said climate-related challenges in Maldives are often intensified by existing social and gender disparities, limiting the effectiveness of policy responses.
He noted that women and marginalized groups possess valuable local knowledge and leadership potential that remain underutilized in climate planning and decision-making processes.
While gender-related measures are referenced in the country’s current climate commitments under its third Nationally Determined Contributions, the CC-GAP represents the first effort to develop a standalone, gender-focused framework tailored specifically to climate governance.
According to the Climate Change Department, the action plan is intended to systematically integrate gender perspectives into policy design, implementation and monitoring, ensuring that climate responses are both inclusive and equitable as Maldives faces rising sea levels, extreme weather events and long-term environmental stress.
The workshop featured presentations and group discussions examining sector-specific vulnerabilities, policy gaps and institutional challenges related to gender and climate change. Participants also collaborated on outlining an initial conceptual framework and identifying priority actions to strengthen gender-responsive interventions across key sectors.
Representatives from government ministries, universities, local non-governmental organizations and U.N. agencies, including United Nations Development Programme and UNICEF, took part in the discussions, underscoring the international dimension of the initiative.
The CC-GAP is being developed with technical support from the NAP Global Network and is expected to guide future climate programs by aligning environmental action with social inclusion and gender equity goals.
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