Uplifting women for climate resilience

The world faces a significant global challenge in addressing climate change, which disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries. These countries are particularly vulnerable due to their limited resources and infrastructure, making them less resilient to climate-related shocks.

The Climate Change and Economic Vulnerability Index (CEVI) and Climate Change and Economic Resilience Index (CERI) highlight these vulnerabilities, emphasising the need for targeted climate financing and macro-critical alignment of climate change policies. Another aspect of climate change vulnerability is its disproportionate impact on various sectors of society, particularly gender.

The lack of access to climate finance further hinders the ability to adapt and mitigate these effects, as most available funds are directed towards mitigation rather than adaptation efforts and, more importantly, gender-responsive adaptation. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, developing countries bear the brunt of climate impacts, including increased frequency of natural disasters, disrupted livelihoods, and exacerbated health issues.

In response to this in 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) introduced the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) instrument. It is designed to provide affordable, long-term financing to help countries build resilience against structural challenges, particularly climate change and pandemic preparedness. The RSF offers loans with concessional interest rates, featuring a 20-year repayment period and a 10-year grace period. Eligibility is limited to countries with existing IMF-supported programs and sustainable debt levels.

To access RSF financing, countries must commit to implementing reforms that address targeted structural challenges, thereby fostering sustainable growth and enhancing balance of payments stability. The RSF is part of the broader Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST), which aims to support low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries in navigating long-term macroeconomic risks linked with climate change. Keeping in mind the quintessential need to have gender-responsive climate policies, the RSF is also required to be gender focused so that disproportioned impacts of climate vulnerabilities are dealt in an inclusive manner.

Pakistan has formally requested the IMF for additional financing under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), initially seeking $1.2 billion and later considering up to $1.5 billion. These funds are intended to support climate resilience and address the impacts of climate change, which have significantly affected the country.

The ongoing discussions between Pakistan and the IMF are focusing on climate adaptation and sustainability measures, with a technical mission engaging key ministries and provincial governments over several weeks. The talks also cover broader economic reforms and policy reviews under the ongoing $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2025, Pakistan was ranked as the most vulnerable country to climate change in 2022, primarily due to the devastating monsoon floods that affected over 33 million people, caused more than 1,700 fatalities, and resulted in economic losses of nearly $15 billion. These floods, exacerbated by climate change, highlighted Pakistan’s acute vulnerability to extreme weather events.

Climate change has a disproportionate impact on women, exacerbated by deep-seated gender inequalities and societal norms that heighten their vulnerability. For instance, rural women, who constitute a significant portion of the agricultural workforce, face heightened vulnerability due to their dependence on natural resources and limited access to resources like credit and education.

Simultaneously, the situation of gender equality in Pakistan remains dire, as highlighted in the Global Gender Gap Report 2024, where the country ranks 145th out of 146 countries. It holds the 143rd position in economic participation with a gender parity score of 36.2 per cent and ranks 139th in educational attainment at 82.5 per cent. In health and survival, Pakistan is 132nd with a score of 0.961, while political empowerment is notably low at 112th, with only 15.2 per cent representation for women in political roles.

The multipronged relationship between economic, climate change-oriented and gender inequalities is expressed in many ways. Economic losses from floods, droughts, and storms disproportionately impact female-headed households, often stripping them of their already insufficient resources. Health risks during pregnancy increase by rising temperatures, leading to complications such as pre-term births and hypertension. Meanwhile, resource scarcity drives gender-based violence, including child marriages and early pregnancies, as families grapple with survival.

In 2022, Pakistan developed its first Climate Change Gender Action Plan (ccGAP), enhancing women’s participation in decision-making across sectors like agriculture and disaster risk reduction. This initiative is complemented by efforts to develop gender-responsive policies, especially in agriculture, to mitigate climate change impacts on marginalised communities. The Green Climate Fund and other international partners provide support, promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in climate change responses.

The IMF approved its first strategy in 2022 to integrate gender considerations into its core activities, including surveillance, lending, and capacity development. This approach recognises gender equality as a ‘macro-critical’ issue, crucial for economic stability and growth, as it helps reduce income inequality and enhance financial stability. The IMF’s framework for gender-responsive budgeting uses fiscal policy and public financial management to promote gender equality by analysing how budget allocations and tax policies can reduce gender inequality.

In Pakistan, gender tagging in the Federal Budget for FY2023-24 revealed significant gender-responsive allocations. The largest share of these budgets was dedicated to social protection, totalling Rs499,940 million, with 94 per cent of this amount being highly relevant to promoting gender equality. This includes initiatives like social safety nets that are important for supporting vulnerable populations. Rs139,720 million was also allocated for climate change measures, though there was a recognised need for dedicated funds to enhance the resilience of women and other vulnerable groups against climate-related challenges.

Despite the budget allocation for climate change, these funds are considered insufficient when weighed against the country’s extreme climate vulnerabilities, particularly for gender-responsive initiatives that aim to protect vulnerable populations, including women. Given the recognised need for dedicated funds to enhance the resilience of these populations, the current allocation falls short of addressing the comprehensive climate-related challenges they face, underscoring the necessity for more targeted and substantial investments to effectively mitigate these risks.

Women are key drivers of climate resilience efforts, particularly in the agriculture sector. Approximately 68 per cent of employed women in Pakistan work in the agriculture sector, contributing significantly to farm productivity and food security despite facing barriers such as limited access to resources and technology. Empowering women in agriculture through capacity building and access to modern technologies can enhance their economic empowerment and contribute to more resilient and sustainable livelihoods.

In Pakistan’s energy sector, women are promoting climate resilience and clean energy transitions, despite being underrepresented with only four per cent in technical positions. The clean energy transition offers opportunities for women’s economic empowerment through decentralised renewable energy projects, enhancing their participation in decision-making and providing new employment opportunities. Integrating gender considerations into energy policies ensures equitable benefits for women, supporting inclusive economic growth and addressing energy poverty and gender inequality. This approach supports women’s economic empowerment and resilience against climate-related challenges.

The IMF’s Gender-Responsive Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) can be a game-changer in promoting resilience and economic growth for women by integrating gender considerations into climate resilience initiatives. This facility can support projects that enhance women’s access to climate-smart technologies, improve their participation in decision-making processes, and provide training on sustainable agricultural practices. The existing Climate-Public Investment Management Assessment (C-PIMA) can be enhanced and transformed into a gender-responsive C-PIMA.

To enhance the gender responsiveness of RSF can track gender-tagged budgets, public expenditure reviews focused on gender impact can be prioritised. Outcome-based monitoring, citizen engagement, and gender-responsive procurement can enhance transparency and accountability. To make the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) gender-responsive, policies should mandate gender-disaggregated impact assessments, targeted climate finance for women, and inclusive social protection reforms. Women’s representation in decision-making, gender-sensitive fiscal policies and support for female-led enterprises should also be prioritised to ensure RSF benefits both climate resilience and gender equality.

The co-benefits of integrating gender considerations into climate resilience initiatives are multifaceted. By empowering women in the Climate-Public Investment Management Assessment (C-PIMA), Pakistan can improve overall community resilience, reduce gender inequality, and promote sustainable livelihoods. Gender-responsive funding initiatives can lead to more effective climate adaptation strategies, as they address the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women.

The writer is a gender and climate specialist at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad. She can be reached at: Sadiasatti@sdpi.org