As the UNFCCC states, It is increasingly evident that women are at the centre of the climate change challenge.
Gender roles, geographical, household responsibilities, level and sector of employment, access to resources
and participation in decision making all affect women and men and members of differing socioeconomic and
ethnic groups differently.
The Republic of Macedonia is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) and has acceded to the Copenhagen Accord. In 2014 the Third National Communication on Climate
Change (TNC) was published in 2014 by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, Republic of
Macedonia1. It contains an assessment of the national situation relating to climate change in a range of key
sectors. It also overviews the national and international contexts of climate change policy; as well as surveys of
the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in the country; climate
change mitigation analysis and opportunities, national communications strategy on climate change and
assessments of technology transfer, R&D, capacity strengthening and financial resources in the country.
However, beyond the Social Vulnerability Index, the NCC is missing a detailed analysis of what the gender
differences are in climate change contributions, adapation and mitigation, as well how men and women are
differentially affected by climate change impacts. We believe that the country is missing an opportunity to
build on one of its greatest strengths: the capacities, potential and resilience of its women. This report is an
attempt to address this gap by analysing gender trends and opportunities for the country as it continues to
develop its response to climate change.
At the same time, as Emma Watson argued in her HeforShe speech at the United Nations in September 2014,
“It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum not as two opposing sets of ideals." Gender is inextricably
intertwined with vulnerability which is related to ethnicity, class, and socio-economic status. Progress can only
be achieved when gender approaches involve both women and men in the most vulnerable groups.
UNDP views climate change as one of the defining challenges of our time. The effects of climate change,
including teceding forests, changing rainfall patterns and rising sea levels, will exacerbate existing economic,
political and humanitarian stresses and affect human development in all parts of the world.
Gender equality and the empowerment of women are core elements of UNDP’s development mandate. It
recognizes that unless women and girls are able to fully realize their rights in all spheres of life, human
development will not be advanced. A gender approach to climate change includes: sustainable development
pathways; inclusive and effective democratic governance; and resilience-building.
This report is written for government agencies and departments as they develop their climate change
strategies, as well as for stakeholders in other sectors of society: researchers, civil society, the international
system as well as Macedonian citizens. Understanding how women and men are affected differently by climate
change, how they respond, what they can contribute to adaptation and mitigation, as well as ensuring their
active participation in discussions and decision making will greatly increase the success and sustainability of
climate change responses in Macedonia.
Implementing a strong and effective gender and climate change policy in the country will enable Macedonia to
provide leadership in Europe and globally in this area.