The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has a long history of investing in local actions geared toward social inclusion to achieve global environmental objectives. Mainstreaming gender1 through GEF programs and projects presents opportunities for enhancing project value as well as advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The GEF is committed to furthering its systematic engagement addressing gender mainstreaming during GEF-6, based on the GEF Policy on Gender Mainstreaming2, which was adopted by the GEF Council in May 2011 (refer to Annex 1). The GEF aims to achieve global environmental benefits and sustainable development by addressing issues related to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The GEF recognizes gender equality as an important goal in the context of projects that receive GEF support because it advances both the GEF’s goals for attaining global environmental benefits and the goals of gender equality and equity, and social inclusion.