Gender approaches in climate compatible development: Lessons from India

The report examines how gender-sensitive programming in urban India can enhance climate resilience and people's empowerment. Using the ACCCRN project in Mahewa ward, Gorakhpur, as a case study, it finds that while the project began as gender-blind, its evolution toward a gender-sensitive implementation phase significantly improved the sustainability of interventions in water, sanitation, and agriculture. The study highlights that urban gender dynamics differ from rural ones due to weaker social cohesion and higher dependence on external services. It concludes that women's active participation as agents of change, rather than mere recipients, drives better outcomes, though deep-seated patriarchal structures and a lack of gender-disaggregated data in planning remain significant barriers.

• Gender-sensitive approaches in urban contexts differ from rural ones because urban residents face weaker social cohesion, a higher likelihood of flooding due to poor infrastructure, and greater food insecurity due to market dependence.
• Women's active participation was critical to the sustainability and effectiveness of the ACCCRN project; project members estimated that without women, outcomes would have been only 10–20% of what was achieved.
• The ACCCRN project achieved tangible improvements in urban resilience through gender-sensitive implementation, including increased child immunisation rates, improved access to potable water, and the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural techniques.
• Women in Mahewa ward face significant cultural and social barriers, including restricted mobility and patriarchal norms, which can lead to domestic violence if they participate in community meetings against their husbands' wishes.
• The project observed that women are often more proactive, risk-taking, and willing to experiment with new solutions compared to men in urban settings, who may show more indifference or suspicion toward development projects.
• While the ACCCRN project improved women's confidence and leadership—leading some to run for Municipal Corporation elections—it failed to transform fundamental gender relations regarding the control of household finances.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2016). Gender approaches in climate compatible development: Lessons from India. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CDKN_India-Gender_report_WEB.pdf

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Gender approaches in climate compatible development: Lessons from India. 2016. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CDKN_India-Gender_report_WEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Gender approaches in climate compatible development: Lessons from India |date=May 2016 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CDKN_India-Gender_report_WEB.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2016gender, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Gender approaches in climate compatible development: Lessons from India}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2016}, month = may, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CDKN_India-Gender_report_WEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }