Advancing Equitable and Resilient Livelihoods in Southern Africa through Integrating Gender Transformative Approaches

This policy brief by the Southern African Resilience Academy (SARA) advocates for the integration of Gender Transformative Approaches (GTAs) into policies and programs across Southern Africa to build equitable and resilient livelihoods. It argues that traditional gender mainstreaming fails to address the root causes of inequality, such as entrenched social norms, and proposes a shift toward GTAs that challenge and change these structures to enhance community and ecosystem resilience against climate change and food insecurity.

• Gender Transformative Approaches (GTAs) differ from conventional gender mainstreaming by targeting the underlying structures and systems that perpetuate inequality rather than just focusing on resource access. While gender-sensitive policies adapt to norms and gender-responsive policies ensure equitable resource allocation, GTAs specifically aim to "change gender norms and relations to promote equality" and "change inequitable gender structures, systems, and divisions in society."
• There is a recognized synergy between GTAs and resilience, leading to improved food security, nutrition, and climate change adaptation. However, the document notes that while there is a general consensus on these benefits, "robust empirical evidence to substantiate this claim remains limited".
• The brief provides several regional examples of GTAs in action: South Africa's "She Conquers" campaign works to reshape social attitudes on gender and sexuality; Zimbabwe's "Pfumvudza" program empowers women in agriculture to enhance household food security; and Malawi has involved women in disaster preparedness decision-making to improve community resilience against floods.
• National policies in Southern Africa are increasingly incorporating gender considerations into climate and agricultural strategies. For example, Zimbabwe's National Climate Change Response Strategy recognizes the "differentiated impacts of climate change on women and men," and Namibia's Fifth National Development Plan (NDP5) emphasizes women's economic empowerment and leadership.
• The document recommends that policymakers prioritize the integration of GTAs into disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation strategies. Key recommendations include allocating adequate financial and human resources, incorporating "Gender Transformative indicators" into monitoring and evaluation, and fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships between governments, the private sector, and civil society.
• Regional and continental frameworks provide the legal basis for scaling GTAs. These include the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, the African Union's Maputo Protocol, and the COMESA Gender Policy, which collectively aim to harmonize policies and share best practices across the region.

APA

Global Resilience Partnership (2024). Advancing Equitable and Resilient Livelihoods in Southern Africa through Integrating Gender Transformative Approaches. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/sara-gta-policy-brief-draft-5-medium-spreads.pdf

Chicago

Global Resilience Partnership. Advancing Equitable and Resilient Livelihoods in Southern Africa through Integrating Gender Transformative Approaches. 2024. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/sara-gta-policy-brief-draft-5-medium-spreads.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Resilience Partnership |title=Advancing Equitable and Resilient Livelihoods in Southern Africa through Integrating Gender Transformative Approaches |date=2024 |url=https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/sara-gta-policy-brief-draft-5-medium-spreads.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalresiliencepartnership2024advancing, author = {{Global Resilience Partnership}}, title = {{Advancing Equitable and Resilient Livelihoods in Southern Africa through Integrating Gender Transformative Approaches}}, institution = {Global Resilience Partnership}, year = {2024}, url = {https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/sara-gta-policy-brief-draft-5-medium-spreads.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }