Human Rights, the Environment and Gender Equality - Key Messages

This brief outlines key human rights obligations and responsibilities relating to gender equality in the context of environmental protection. It situates the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment within international human rights and environmental law, emphasising non-discrimination and substantive equality. The document identifies how climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and land degradation produce differentiated and disproportionate impacts based on gender, often compounded by intersecting forms of discrimination. It sets out required State actions, including eliminating gender-based discrimination and stereotypes, ensuring participation, access to justice, health, education and resources, protecting human rights defenders, regulating business conduct, promoting a just economic transition, strengthening data collection, and enhancing international cooperation to deliver gender-responsive environmental action.