News // Let’s work on Gender Equality Today for a more Sustainable Tomorrow in the Drin Basin

Mar 28 2022

Advancing gender equality in the context of climate crisis and disaster risk reduction is one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century. This is also the case in Southeastern Europe and specifically the Drin Basin. While countries still struggle to recover from the pandemic, it is more important than ever to address Gender through an innovative approach like the Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems Nexus in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and deliver on the overall objectives of Agenda 2030. This is because Nexus aims at reconciling the interests of all different sectors, while respecting environmental needs and human rights. The Nexus approach moves beyond traditional sectoral thinking to achieve overall security and sustainability of all natural resources.

Gender mainstreaming in nexus strategies and policies

Yet, gender mainstreaming in nexus sectors policies remains limited due to lack of disaggregated data, unequal representation and access to decision making, as well as the constantly evolving nature of environmental challenges. But “Gender mainstreaming remains the principal tool for achieving gender equality… and contributes for redistributing power and influence and creating equal opportunities for all. We all need to recognise how gender has been impacted by the current and ongoing environmental crisis and how it has been exacerbated by this pandemic” says Ms. Corinna Pröll, Gender and Development Advisor, Austrian Development Agency (ADA).