Integrating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in technical assistance
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) is a concept of complementary actions that are needed to ensure equal access to socially, economically, and politically valued goods, resources, opportunities, benefits, and services for all.
Opportunities to build GESI considerations into climate action projects are not always obvious. That is especially in the case of technical projects, such as those that ICF have worked on for UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions), Green Recovery Challenge Fund (GRCF), and Nigeria Country Programme (2020-2024). Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), UK PACT funds projects to support partner countries to implement and increase their ambitions for carbon emissions reductions.
In many projects, the focus is primarily on technical challenges, and GESI considerations are often overlooked. However, our experience shows that weaving GESI considerations into a project’s fabric is not just feasible, it can also deliver more desirable impacts for a broader group of people.
Why are GESI considerations important in climate work?
Climate change exacerbates existing inequalities, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities. Societal and cultural disparities limit access to resources and political participation for these groups, hindering their ability to enact change. Climate solutions should always address GESI considerations, yet they are too often segregated from mainstream climate efforts, if they are considered at all. There is often a lack of intersectional analysis within climate initiatives, and integrating GESI principles in a more comprehensive and inclusive way is needed.
Tackling ‘gender and inclusion blindness’
UK PACT's technical assistance projects show that it is possible to embed GESI principles to improve project design, implementation, and impact. These projects often do not have direct community engagement. For example, projects focused on greening the financial sector or mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are highly technical. As a result, there is often a perceived lack of any need for GESI considerations in these contexts.
This kind of GESI blindness can have profound implications if it is not addressed. Overlooking gender and inclusion issues can perpetuate discrimination or yield adverse impacts. Keeping to the principle of “do no harm” in development aid includes being responsive to GESI considerations, meticulously assessing impacts across diverse groups, and proactively mitigating negative consequences.
Building in GESI considerations
Embedding GESI into project design and implementation can enhance outcomes without altering the technical core in the same way that tailoring any product or service to suit end user needs delivers positive results. The key steps are:
1. Assess the GESI context of each project.
2. Create an action plan to determine interaction within the GESI context.
3. Continuously track progress, establishing strong monitoring and evaluation processes.
4. Reflect on how interventions may cause unintended negative effects and take immediate steps to mitigate.
5. Engage communities/beneficiaries at every stage and incorporate feedback into future project planning.
Achieving project objectives with greater inclusivity is not only feasible but often more effective, counter to the perception that GESI considerations are costly add-ons. Our approach is to consistently collaborate with on-the-ground teams to find ways to integrate GESI considerations. Here are three examples from across the globe:
Managed electric vehicle charging in India
From February 2021 to March 2022, EV charging platform provider eDRV collaborated with BSES Yamuna Power Limited and CEEW on a managed electric vehicle (EV) charging project in India. In support of national climate mitigation objectives, the project explored utility-led managed charging to meet EV power demand.
We helped eDRV to identify GESI considerations by speaking to female EV drivers. These conversations revealed barriers and recommendations for making their access to charging stations safer, especially at night. These insights were integrated into policy recommendations to utility companies and governments to ensure inclusivity in future EV charging initiatives. By engaging with women drivers and acknowledging their safety concerns, the project not only enhanced accessibility but also emphasized the importance of GESI considerations in even the most technical projects.
Agroforestry and clean energy solutions in Kenya
The Community Greening Landscape project, executed by WWF-Kenya and WWF-UK in the Kaptagat region from June 2021 to October 2023, aimed to establish agroforestry and clean energy solutions. Emphasizing inclusivity, the project engaged disadvantaged groups such as women, persons with disabilities, and youth through continuous consultation and capacity-building workshops.
Over 400 farmers engaged in a value chain analysis for milk and passion fruit, and we worked with local GESI experts to ensure meaningful participation. By partnering with the county government to promote social inclusion in climate resilience efforts, we developed a five-year restoration plan. The project drove diverse participation, empowered disadvantaged groups, and influenced policy development, ensuring long-term benefits for local communities.
Positively impacting climate action in Peru
The InverClima project, run by Programa de Inversión Responsible (PIR) in partnership with ImplementaSur and 2° Investing Initiative, focused on integrating climate risks into investment decisions in Peru from February 2021 to March 2022. We supported PIR to emphasize gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), particularly in the financial sector.
As part of the project, PIR created the Women, Investment, and Climate network to connect women in finance with those vulnerable to climate change. Regular meetings were held to discuss gender, climate activism, and finance, as well as an e-learning course on climate risks and opportunities for investors, regulators, and state entities. As part of the project, PIR’s project team delivered a pilot assessment of transition risk exposure for Peruvian pension funds, developed policy proposals to encourage green economic recovery, and updated the Green Finance Roadmap. The project encouraged GESI integration, influenced policy development, and built sector capacity—aligning investment decisions with national emission reduction targets and promoting long-term climate resilience in Peru.
The bigger picture: Embedding GESI into governance
UK PACT’s work demonstrates how such initiatives can extend beyond individual projects to institutionalizing GESI commitments into governance frameworks. By establishing diversity committees and embracing GESI commitments at the organizational level, numerous implementing partners are now taking a holistic and proactive approach toward fostering inclusivity and gender equality.
Beyond UK PACT, the broader picture around implementing GESI considerations into project and policy work is a mixed one, with further progress still required. However, increasing numbers of donors have started to integrate serious GESI requirements in various forms, confirming that there is a growing momentum toward mainstreaming GESI principles across development and policy initiatives.
We believe that integrating GESI considerations into technical assistance projects can have a transformative impact. Adopting a tailored approach that recognizes the nuances of each technical domain, and contextual intricacies shows that these projects can be more effective—ultimately creating more inclusive and sustainable development pathways.