Women’s Land Rights as a Foundation for Sustainable Climate Action

The session underscored the critical role of women’s land rights (WLR) in achieving sustainable climate action, highlighting how secure rights to land, property, and natural resources for women underpin the objectives of the three Rio Conventions. The discussion emphasized the interconnectedness between WLR, effective climate action, land restoration, and biodiversity conservation, advocating for the stronger implementation of gender-equal land tenure rights. Participants explored how the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) acknowledges the synergy between WLR and global climate objectives, while the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has taken concrete steps to raise awareness on land tenure issues, partnering with initiatives like the Stand for Her Land (S4HL) campaign. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has integrated WLR into its frameworks, recognizing it as a foundation for biodiversity conservation. Evidence was presented, illustrating how gender-equal land rights directly contribute to these international goals and advance gender equality. The session also explored the barriers hindering the full realization of WLR and suggested pathways for integrating these rights into national and local policies. Case studies and examples demonstrated how WLR initiatives are making an impact, particularly through the advocacy work of the S4HL campaign in closing the gap between commitments and tangible outcomes. These insights are expected to inform an upcoming global research report by IDLO and contribute to a report by Land Equity International on land and gender. The session highlighted the need for a rights-based approach, ensuring that women’s land rights are central to achieving climate resilience, sustainable development, and equitable human rights.


This resource has been made available by the organizers of the World Bank Land Conference under the following disclaimer.