How do gender approaches contribute to climate compatible development? Lessons from Kenya

This policy brief examines the role of gender-sensitive approaches in climate compatible development within urban Kenya, specifically focusing on the 'People's Plans into Practice (PPP)' project in Kisumu from 2008 to 2013. It explores how integrating gender dimensions can improve development outcomes, the barriers to such integration, and provides recommendations for policy-makers at national, county, and city levels.

• In urban Kisumu, a gender-sensitive approach to climate compatible development requires understanding how gender affects vulnerability to climate risks and the capacity of men and women to adapt. This includes involving both genders in selecting technology and designing solutions to meet specific needs, such as providing toilets for women with sanitary towel disposal bins, better lighting, and lockable doors for security.
• The 'People's Plans into Practice (PPP)' project (2008-2013) demonstrated that including vulnerable groups in decision-making processes allowed the project to better address practical needs. Active participation by women in these processes led to them assuming leadership and managerial roles.
• Despite some progress, significant structural and cultural barriers hinder gender-sensitive approaches. These include cultural attitudes where men dominate formal and informal spaces and view women as the 'weaker sex', insufficient budgets and staffing in public departments, and a lack of technical capacity to understand the links between gender and climate change.
• Gender-sensitive approaches can improve climate compatible development outcomes by increasing planning flexibility and addressing gender-based drivers of vulnerability. However, success depends on 'building blocks' such as continuous dialogue among county-level policy-makers and improved coordination between programs, which the report notes is currently 'non-existent'.
• The report recommends that national and county policy-makers introduce a designated gender focal person in every county department and integrate findings on gender-based vulnerability into the national climate change bill and various county bills.
• For city and ward level planners, the brief recommends conducting a gender and climate change audit for Kisumu city to document how climate change differentially impacts vulnerability.

APA

Nyukuri, E., Naess, L. O., & Schipper, L. (2016). How do gender approaches contribute to climate compatible development? Lessons from Kenya. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Kenya-gender-brief-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Nyukuri, Elvin, Lars Otto Naess, and Lisa Schipper. How do gender approaches contribute to climate compatible development? Lessons from Kenya. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2016. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Kenya-gender-brief-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Nyukuri |first1=Elvin |last2=Naess |first2=Lars Otto |last3=Schipper |first3=Lisa |title=How do gender approaches contribute to climate compatible development? Lessons from Kenya |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=May 2016 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Kenya-gender-brief-FINAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{nyukuri2016how, author = {Nyukuri, Elvin and Naess, Lars Otto and Schipper, Lisa}, title = {{How do gender approaches contribute to climate compatible development? Lessons from Kenya}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2016}, month = may, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Kenya-gender-brief-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }