Gender Dimensions of the Least Developed Countries Fund and Special Climate Change Fund

Document Summary

In 2001, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established the first multilateral adaptation finance instruments: the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). The LDCF focuses on the “urgent and immediate adaptation needs” of the 48 UNFCCC-accredited least developed countries; whereas the SCCF helps developing countries increase their national development sectors’ resilience to climate change impacts. Funded through Annex I countries’ voluntary contributions, the LDCF and SCCF are both managed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).  This brief aims to detail the recent progress of the GEF to mainstream gender in LDCF and SCCF programming and implementation.   It also identifies next steps towards ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment principles are further incorporated into the design and implementation of LDCF and SCCF projects.