The African Development Bank, through the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), ran a capacity-building session for civil society and private sector organisations on gender mainstreaming in development policies and projects, and the establishment of gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanisms, from 27 to 31 May in Koudougou, in Burkina Faso’s Centre-Ouest region.

The workshop sought to build the skills of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism secretariat, and of civil society organisations, the private sector and other stakeholders.

“Gender mainstreaming in REDD+ development policies and projects is extremely necessary,” said Daniel Ndoye, Bank Country Manager for Burkina Faso, at the opening of the workshop. “By addressing the specific needs of women and men, gender-sensitive policies promote more equitable and sustainable use of forest resources.” He subsequently reiterated the Bank's commitment to supporting Burkina Faso in its efforts to achieve sustainable and inclusive forest management and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Bruno Zouré, a gender expert and Bank Group consultant, oversaw the training session. He clarified the concept of gender, which is often confused with biological sex. “Gender refers to the roles, behaviour and responsibilities culturally assigned to men and women,” he explained, stressing that it did not mean simple mathematical equality or favouritism shown towards women, but rather an analysis of inequalities and disparities to achieve social justice and equitable development.

Bruno Zouré, a gender expert and consultant for the African Development Bank, coordinated the workshop on gender mainstreaming in programmes and projects.

Participants then proceeded to group work, exploring gender-related concepts such as equality, equity and participation, as well as the practical needs and strategic interests of women and men. Discussions related to concepts such as intersectionality, gender stereotypes, positive masculinity and the sexual division of labour broadened participants' understanding of gender issues and improved their analytical skills.

The workshop also included a review of tools for mainstreaming gender into development policies and projects, including gender-responsive budgeting and gender marker systems, in addition to crucial tools that help prevent the exclusion of women and other vulnerable groups from REDD+ benefit-sharing mechanisms. The “Leave no-one behind” concept and the human rights-based approach were introduced, emphasising the importance of gender issues in achieving greater social justice.

In Burkina Faso, two of the most pressing environmental concerns are accelerating deforestation and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Between 2000 and 2022, the country's forested area dropped from almost seven million hectares to just over five million hectares, a net loss of 1.83 million hectares. In view of this, Mamadou Batiéné, the permanent secretary of REDD+, pointed out that the government of Burkina Faso had committed to the REDD+ process and had adopted a national strategy in 2022, complemented by social safeguard instruments and a specific gender strategy.

The African Development Bank Group has invested significantly in the country to support sustainable and inclusive forest management, biodiversity conservation, and improvements in the livelihoods of local communities.

The Gazetted Forests Participatory Management Project for REDD+, carried out between 2014 and 2022 as part of the Climate Investment Funds’ Forestry Investment Programme, has been a real springboard for promoting innovative technologies that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, improved cookstoves, which reduce firewood consumption and smoke output, were made available to partner communities, particularly women.

These stoves ease the pressure on forests and significantly improve the health of women and children by reducing the risk of respiratory illnesses and other problems caused by indoor pollution. The project also supported specific female-focused activities, in particular training women in techniques and management for using wood products.

The REDD+ mechanism, developed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, aims to lessen greenhouse gas emissions and promote non-carbon benefits such as poverty reduction, forest ecosystem conservation and sustainable development. Gender mainstreaming is essential to ensure that all parts of the population benefit equitably from REDD+ initiatives and to build community resilience to environmental challenges.

A South-South exchange trip focusing on the implementation of an information system on REDD+ safeguards, including the gender-sensitive benefit-sharing mechanism, is earmarked for Côte d'Ivoire in September 2024.