Sohanur Rahman from YouthNet for Climate Justice Bangladesh, representantive for the MenEngage work group on climate and environmental justice. MÄN and MenEngage advocating for change at COP29 The UN Climate Summit in Baku, COP29, has been summarized with the words “too little, too late”. However, one small but important success was the inclusion of a statement on gender and climate justice, which a working group from MÄN and MenEngage helped contribute to. Leading up to COP29, MÄN, through MenEngage’s climate justice working group, helped develop a policy brief that was shared with negotiators from various countries. The document included an analysis, policy recommendations, and concrete proposals for language and text on masculinity norms and the engagement of boys and men in promoting gender equality and climate justice. This work contributed to the following wording being included in the UN gender and climate change draft resolution which was passed (under point 25):“Encourages Parties, the secretariat and relevant organizations, in implementing the enhanced Lima work programme on gender, to fully engage men and boys as agents and beneficiaries of change and as strategic partners and allies in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change”Attending the summit in Baku was Sohanur Rahman from YouthNet for Climate Justice Bangladesh, a representative of MenEngage’s global climate justice working group. This year, he was also part of Bangladesh’s government delegation and one of the negotiators at COP29. He shared the positive news that COP29 extended the Enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender and Climate Change (from COP20 in Lima) for another decade, setting it to run until 2034. This extension underscores the UN’s commitment to making climate action more inclusive and gender-responsive, aiming to ensure the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in climate processes.“Reaching consensus on this extension was not without challenges, and some countries blocked key language on LGBTQI rights and intersectionality. However, the final decision confirms that gender equality is crucial for effective, just, and sustainable climate action,” said Sohanur Rahman.The program’s goals include improving gender balance in national delegations to UN climate summits, expanding access to climate finance for women and marginalized groups, and promoting the use of gender-disaggregated data to inform better policymaking.Countries have also agreed to develop a new Gender Action Plan (GAP) to be adopted at COP30. This plan will provide concrete guidelines and measurable steps for integrating gender considerations into climate action in the coming years. Additionally, parties are encouraged to strengthen the role of national gender focal points and support the development of gender-responsive climate policies.During a seminar at the climate summit, MenEngage’s working group also launched a call to action to engage men and boys alongside women, girls, and people of all genders in achieving gender-equal climate solutions and transitioning to an economy centered on care for people and nature.Sign the MenEngage call to action here!