Office of Market Mechanisms
Global Environment Bureau
Ministry of the Environment, Japan
April 2020

Guideline on Gender Equality for the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM)
1.

PurposeThe Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) model project aims to mitigate global climate change
through the promotion of advanced decarbonization technologies to achieve the UN Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) including gender equality and contributing to sustainable
development in partner countries.
It has been well recognized that the gender gaps exist and those gaps can be found in theaccess to natural resources and participation of decision-making in environmental policies andmeasures at all levels. It is also recognized that women do not get to fully enjoy thesocioeconomic benefits and services. This leads to the impediment of overall mitigation efforts
and the hindrance of achievement of sustainable development and SDGs.
As such, this guideline aims to provide basic principles and specific recommendations on
gender equality and encourages stakeholders, especially project participants who are in chargeof implementing a JCM model project, to take actions at all the stages of the project cycle(planning, implementation, and monitoring).
Since how gender equality pertains to each project varies, when applying this guideline,
stakeholders are recommended to do so to the extent possible, depending on the nature of eachproject.

2.

Basic Principles on Gender Equality
This section elaborates on the basic principles on gender equality and project participants areencouraged to follow these principles.

(1) Women’s Empowerment
Consider how various outcomes from the project (e.g. electrification of previously
underserved areas, compensation related to land acquisitions) can lead to women’sempowerment including increased employment and income, opportunities for female
entrepreneurs to start or expand their businesses with higher productivity, as well as better
access to education.

Entities undertaking a project are expected to take measures to create a work environment
where more women can play an active role, by providing job training and education, as well
as facilitating other gender-related improvements and necessary support.
1(2) Gender-balanced Decision-making Process
Consider promoting women’s equal access to information regarding climate change andrelevant policies and their participation in community decision-making processes.

Consider facilitating gender-balanced decision-makings at implementation stage of theproject to encourage women to take on a leadership role.

(3) Women’s Health and Well-beingConsider promoting improved health and well-being for women in various aspects of life,including health (e.g. by decreasing negative health impacts from polluted air and water),safety (e.g. by installing streetlights and sanitary facilities, and improving public
transportation systems), as well as economic and physical burden (e.g. by reducing energy
bills including electricity, and lowering domestic workload by installing water and sewage
systems, high-efficient cooking equipment, and the like).

3.

Recommendations for Gender Equality at Each Stage in JCM Model ProjectThis section elaborates on ways that project participants can promote gender equality
throughout the JCM model project.

(1) Planning Stage

Consider whether a project will lead to women’s empowerment including increased
employment opportunities and/or more advanced role for women.

Consider identifying what kind of gender-related challenges exist in the project area, andreflect possible responses in the project planning. National and/or regional policies andinitiatives regarding gender equality, if available, should be taken into account as much aspossible.

(2) Project Implementation Stage

Promote employment of women and gender-sensitive work environment, women’sleadership, and training and education during the implementation of a project.

Incorporate women’s opinions in consensus building processes regarding a project andensure women are not subject to unequal treatment in compensation related to landacquisition and displacement and the like.

(3) Facility Operation StageAdvance women’s employment and providing training, especially for management andtechnical expert positions that are necessary for the operation of a facility.

Ensure the benefits of a project are shared with women in the project site community byensuring their comments and inputs made at stakeholder consultations are given equal2consideration.
(4) Information-sharing Stage

Disseminate information regarding gender equality measures, achievements, and lessons
learned from implementation of the JCM model project.

Monitor the project periodically to ensure that necessary actions continue to be taken to
promote gender equality such as employment, training and education, and participation indecision-making processes for women.

3References:Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. General recommendation on No.37 on

gender-related dimensions of disaster risk reduction in the context of climate change. 2018
Global Environment Facility. GUIDELINES ON GENDER EQUALITY. 2018
Global Environment Facility. Policy on gender equality. 2017
Green Climate Fund. Updated gender policy and gender action plan 2020-2023. 2019
Green Climate Fund, United Nations Women. Mainstreaming gender in Green Climate Fund projects.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Gender action plan. 2019
United Nations Industrial Development Organization. Guide on gender mainstreaming: Energy andclimate change projects. 2014
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Paris Agreement. 2015
United Nations Women. Leveraging co-benefits between gender equality and climate action forsustainable development. 20164