This document presents an update of the Gender Policy and Gender Action Plan originally adopted in decision B.09/11. This update follows the request made by the Board in decision B.12/16 for the Secretariat to prepare a review and update of the Gender Policy and Action Plan and was made based on the terms of reference approved by the Board in decision B.BM-2016/12. The terms of reference required the review to focus on the implementation and integration of the Gender Policy and Action Plan in the full range of GCF functions and activities in terms of accountability, learning and engendering climate change.

The Secretariat undertook the desk review, review of current practices, consultations required to update the policy including undertaking assessment of implementation considerations, particularly direct costs and benefits associated with the implementation of the policy. The major updates are those introducing and establishing a structure, making the gender assessment and gender action plan a requirement at the project level, and requiring a more progressive approach to strengthening gender work at GCF.

Annex III of this document presents the proposed Gender Action Plan for GCF, which provides a framework for the period 2020−2023 within which to operationalize the Gender Policy. Recognizing the need for managing results, the policy illustrates proposed result areas in annex IV of the policy document. Annex V of this document presents the annual report as well as the survey on the implementation of the Gender Policy.