FROM POLICY TO ACTION: ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GENDER-RESPONSIVE CLIMATE STRATEGIES IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Over the past three decades, climate discourse has evolved progressively from viewing women as passive victims to recognising them as active agents of change and environmental resilience. Various research has shown how gender and climate change are deeply interlinked through structures of vulnerability, resource access, and decision-making power. Within Pakistan, this intersection has become increasingly visible as recurrent floods, heatwaves, and water stress have differentiated the burdens carried by women. The analyses of the policies and interviews with key stakeholders from the government departments, international development institutions, and national commissions. This research explores Pakistan’s climate policy landscape, anchored in the National Climate Change Policy 2021, the Climate Change Gender Action Plan 2022, and the National Adaptation Plan 2023, and assesses the critical junction of gender responsiveness. As a result, there is a noticeable policy evolution from rhetorical recognition of gender to explicit institutional commitments, yet implementation shows weak enforcement, ineffective coordination, and inadequate financing. In recent policies, gender is integrated across priority sectors with proposed quotas, helplines against GBV, and training measures; however, there is a lack of binding mandates, budgetary commitments, and comprehensive gender-disaggregated data procedures. The analysis identifies the persistent gaps in gender-responsive climate governance in Pakistan and the need for institutional reforms, political commitment, and women’s leadership at all levels to ensure inclusive and equitable climate action. The study argues that real transformation requires regulatory and fiscal reform, including: insurance of gender budgeting in Pakistan’s climate finance framework, institutionalising gender focal points across ministries, empowering women-led organisations, strengthening local engagement, and integrating women’s perspectives in policy-making and implementation.