Strengthening Gender Considerations in Kiribati’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Process

The report assesses the integration of gender equality into Kiribati's climate adaptation planning, finding that while the Joint Implementation Plan on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (KJIP) represents a positive shift from previous gender-blind documents, significant gaps remain. Gender mainstreaming in Kiribati has historically focused almost exclusively on domestic violence, leaving a lack of understanding regarding the specific linkages between gender equality and climate adaptation. The study highlights that women are often positioned as victims rather than agents of change and notes a lack of sex-disaggregated data to inform adaptation options. Recommendations include framing gender equality through a 'climate-resilient family' lens, strengthening the link between women's economic empowerment and adaptation, and formally integrating the Ministry of Women, Youth and Social Affairs (MWYSA) into the Kiribati National Experts Group on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (KNEG).

• The integration of gender considerations in the Joint Implementation Plan on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (KJIP) is a significant improvement over previous national climate documents, which were entirely gender-blind.
• Gender mainstreaming in Kiribati has been narrow in scope, primarily focusing on the elimination of domestic violence rather than broader gender equality or climate-related issues.
• There is a critical lack of sex-disaggregated data and documented knowledge, which hinders the ability to conduct gender analyses and identify tailored climate adaptation options for women and men.
• The KJIP tends to frame women as marginalized victims of climate change rather than recognizing their capacity to identify and implement solutions.
• The Ministry of Women, Youth and Social Affairs (MWYSA) and its Women’s Development Division (WDD) have been largely excluded from the institutional arrangements of the NAP process and the KNEG.
• The report recommends a 'family-focused approach' to gender equality to align with I-Kiribati culture, emphasizing the creation of climate-resilient families as an entry point for adaptation planning.
• Strengthening women's economic empowerment is identified as a key strategy for building resilience, as it addresses root causes of inequality and provides a more effective link to climate adaptation than focusing on domestic violence.
• Capacity for gender and climate mainstreaming is limited both within the government and among civil society organizations, with many NGOs being inactive due to lack of resources.

APA

Dekens, J. (2017). Strengthening Gender Considerations in Kiribati’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Process. International Institute for Sustainable Development. http://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/napgn-en-2017-strengthening-gender-considerations-kiribatis-nap-process.pdf

Chicago

Dekens, Julie. Strengthening Gender Considerations in Kiribati’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Process. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2017. http://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/napgn-en-2017-strengthening-gender-considerations-kiribatis-nap-process.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dekens |first1=Julie |title=Strengthening Gender Considerations in Kiribati’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Process |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=December 2017 |url=http://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/napgn-en-2017-strengthening-gender-considerations-kiribatis-nap-process.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dekens2017strengthening, author = {Dekens, Julie}, title = {{Strengthening Gender Considerations in Kiribati’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Process}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2017}, month = dec, url = {http://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/napgn-en-2017-strengthening-gender-considerations-kiribatis-nap-process.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }