SYLLABUS

Open Online Course on

Gender and Environment
Table of Contents 1

Why You Should Take This Course? ................................................... 2

Target Groups and Learning Objectives ............................................. 2
Course Structure and Content ............................................................. 2

Module 1: Gender and Environment .................................................... 3

Module 2: Gender and Biodiversity ......................................................
3
Module 3: Gender and Climate Change ...............................................
4
Module 4: Gender and Land Degradation ............................................
4
Module 5: Gender and International Waters .......................................
5
Module 6: Gender, Chemicals and Waste ...........................................
5
Methodology, Certification and Feedback ..........................................
Technical Requirements ....................................................................... 6
6

1
Why You Should Take This Course?
Do you want to find out why promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment can help deliver
better environmental outcomes as well as learn how you can do it? Then, this course is for you!

The Open Online Course on Gender and Environment will help you better understand the linkages between
gender and the environment. It will provide you with the knowledge and tools to mainstream gender, and to be
an effective change-maker for sustainable development. It will also give you facts and figures, and a better
understanding of the global international frameworks related to gender and environment. It is a “one-stop-shop”
for information and illustrations on gender dimensions linked to biodiversity, climate change, land degradation,
international waters, and chemicals and waste.

This self-paced free course has been developed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), UNITAR/UN CC:Learn, with
valuable contributions from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), UN Women, UNDP, UN
Environment and the Secretariats of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements that the GEF serves, including
the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions,
among others.

Target Groups and Learning Objectives

The course provides clear, concise and up-to-date information for anybody interested in exploring the linkages
between gender and environment, particularly:

· Specialists working on biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, international waters, chemicals and
waste.
· Development practitioners working at the international, national or at the local level in environmental
sectors.
· Policy-makers or government officials working on environmental policies and projects.
· Anyone curious who would like to learn more about how efforts to address environmental degradation and
promote gender equality can be mutually supportive.

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

· Describe the main links between gender and environment.

· Identify the main global environmental frameworks that include gender-sensitive approaches.
· Explain how gender-responsive policies and projects can support environmental outcomes.
· Illustrate key benefits of promoting gender equality in biodiversity, climate change, land degradation,
international waters, chemicals and waste.

Course Structure and Content

The course is structured around six introductory modules:

1. Gender and Environment

2. Gender and Biodiversity
3. Gender and Climate Change
4. Gender and Land Degradation
5. Gender and International Waters
6. Gender and Chemicals and Waste

2
Module 1: Gender and Environment
This module introduces the linkage between gender and environment and shows how addressing this nexus
benefits our societies and ecosystems. It includes references to international commitments and highlights
opportunities for mainstreaming gender in biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, international waters,
and chemicals and waste management.

Learning Objectives

After completing Module 1, participants will be able to:

· Identify the relationship between gender and the environment.
· Indicate international legal frameworks and commitments on gender equality and the environment.
· Explain how gender equality leads to environmental benefits and provide concrete examples.
· Describe the links between gender and biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, international waters
and chemicals and waste.

Sections

· Environment Meets Gender

· International Commitments to Gender Equality and the Environment
· Why a Gender Responsive Approach Matters
· Gender and Biodiversity, Climate Change, Land Degradation, International Waters and Chemicals.

Module 2: Gender and Biodiversity

This module focuses on the link between gender and biodiversity and presents relevant international
commitments, as well as action at the national and local level, highlighting how gender equality can contribute
to biodiversity conservation.

Learning Objectives

After completing Module 2, participants will be able to:

· Describe the relationship between gender and biodiversity.
· Identify key international commitments on gender equality and biodiversity conservation.
· Explain how gender equality contributes to biodiversity conservation.
· Provide examples of gender-responsive biodiversity conservation initiatives.

Sections

· Gender and Biodiversity

· Dimensions of Biodiversity Conservation and Management from a Gender Perspective
· Gender and Biodiversity: International Frameworks and Actions.

3
Module 3: Gender and Climate Change

This module introduces the link between gender and climate change, underlining how women and men are
experiencing its effects differently, as well as how they are both part of the solution. It also outlines the main
international and national instruments relating to gender equality and climate change and presents suggestions
for action.

Learning Objectives

After completing Module 3, participants will be able to:

· Describe the relationship between gender and climate change.
· Identify the main international commitments on gender equality and climate change.
· Explain how gender equality contributes to addressing climate change.
· Provide examples of gender-responsive initiatives addressing climate change.

Sections

· Gender and Climate Change

· Dimensions of Climate Change and the Gender Gap
· Gender and Climate Change: A Framework for Action.

Module 4: Gender and Land Degradation

This module introduces the ecological, economic and social drivers of land degradation, where gender aspects
need to be considered and why sustainable land use, gender equality and women’s empowerment are
inextricably linked.

Learning Objectives

After completing Module 4, participants will be able to:

· Describe the relationship between gender and land degradation.
· Identify the main international commitments on gender equality and land degradation.
· Explain how gender equality contributes to achieving sustainable land use and management.
· Provide examples of gender-responsive initiatives on sustainable land use and management.

Sections

· Gender and Land Degradation: The Nexus

· Dimensions of Land Degradation and the Gender Gap
· Institutional Framework for Action.

4
Module 5: Gender and International Waters

This module presents how women and men interact with water resources differently, the structural barriers
that lead to gender inequalities in the management of international waters, and the importance of engaging
both women and men in improved governance systems that will foster more equitable and sustainable water
resource use.

Learning Objectives

After completing Module 5, participants will be able to:

· Describe the relationship between gender and international waters.
· Identify key international commitments on gender equality and international water resources.
· Explain how gender equality contributes to the sustainable management of international waters.
· Provide examples of gender responsive initiatives related to international waters.

Sections

· Gender and International Waters

· Dimensions of International Waters and the Gender Gap
· Gender and International Waters: A Framework for Action.

Module 6: Gender, Chemicals and Waste

This module highlights the links between gender, chemicals and waste, the gender differences in exposure to
toxic chemicals, and their impacts on human health and the environment, and how gender responsive
approaches can contribute to the sound management of chemicals and waste.

Learning Objectives

After completing Module 6, participants will be able to:

· Describe the relationship between gender, chemicals and waste.
· Identify key international commitments on gender equality and sound management of chemicals and waste.
· Explain how gender equality contributes to sound management of chemicals and waste.
· Provide examples of gender-responsive initiatives on chemicals and waste safety.

Sections

· Gender and Chemicals

· Dimensions of Chemicals and Waste Management and the Gender Gap
· Gender, Chemicals and Waste: A Framework for Action.

5
Methodology, Certification and Feedback
The course is self-paced and not moderated. It has been divided into six modules to help reach the overall
learning objectives. The modules are self-standing and can be completed in any order. It is however suggested
to start the course with Module 1, providing a general introduction to the gender and environment nexus,
including key concepts, and then continue with the thematic modules of interest. Each module contains an
interactive lesson and a quiz.

The interactive lessons are provided with the purpose of achieving the 4 specific learning objectives of each
module and contain 40-60 slides of content supported by case studies, videos and exercises. The lessons take
around 1 hour to complete.

All modules can be downloaded in PDF format for offline study or for training purposes. The modules also
contain a wealth of links to other resources on gender and environment and are thus a gateway to more in depth
and specific information. All these resources open in new external windows.

The quizzes can be completed at any time. They assess the achievement of the learning objectives for each
module. A quiz can be attempted a maximum of three times. After passing each quiz with at least 70% of correct
answers, the learner can automatically download a certificate of participation from the course home page. Once
the six quizzes successfully passed, the learner can download a certificate of completion.

Participants can provide feedback on the course by filling a feedback form which can be accessed in the
‘Certificate and Course Evaluation’ section on the course home page.

Technical Requirements
Browser:

· The course works best with Firefox 3.6 or higher

(download for free at https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/).
· The course is also compatible with Google Chrome
(download for free at https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/).
· For technical reasons, it is not recommended to use Internet Explorer.
· Note JavaScript & Cookies must be enabled.

Software:

· Adobe Acrobat Reader (download for free at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html).

· Microsoft Office (Windows or Apple version) or Open Office (download for free at http://www.openoffice.org).

Platform: Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, ME, XP or superior; MacOS 9 or MacOS X

Hardware: 64 MB of RAM, 1 GB of free disk space; Modem: 56 K.