degradation whose effects threaten to erode human freedoms and limit choice. The gender differences between men and women imply that their vulnerabilities differ. Since women are already in a disadvantaged position, effects of climate change threaten to further increase the inequality. The reliance of women on natural resources for food and income, limited access to productive resources, combined with their disadvantaged position in society increases their vulnerability to climate change induced distress. It is also important to note that women have a significant role to play in climate change adaptation and mitigation as they acquired environmental management skills through experience in utilising natural resources. It is therefore imperative to make gender considerations in climate change and environment conservation strategies. Apart from gender mainstreaming, a cross cutting approach to programming, Zimbabwe has not developed any other framework to comprehensively address gender inequalities in environment conservation and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Zimbabwe is drafting a Climate Change National Response Strategy and is working towards a Green Economy, frameworks in which strategies to address these inequalities ought to feature. There is need to consider taking a gender approach in design and implementation of policies on how to adapt and mitigate climate change and how men and women can contribute to and benefit from a green economy. This is crucial to effectively address the needs of both men and women as they relate to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in particular, Goal 1, to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, Goal 3 to promote gender equality and Goal 7 to ensure environmental sustainability. Women’s equal participation in climate change negotiation processes at local, national and global levels will ensure that their needs, perspectives and expertise are equally taken into account. Giving equal platforms for decision making in environment management, as well as equal support for low-carbon development and climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives would significantly contribute to reducing climate and environmental risks, in particular, the way these impact differently on men and women. 3. THEMATIC AREAS From the situational analysis, the policy sets out eight priority policy interventions around which policy objectives and strategies, implementation, monitoring and evaluation are formulated. The policy intervention areas are: (i) Gender, Constitutional and Legal Rights; (ii) Gender and Economic Empowerment; (iii) Gender, Politics and Decision Making; (iv) Gender and Health; (v) Gender, Education and Training; (vi) Gender Based Violence; (vii) Gender, Environment and Climate Change, and (viii) Gender, Media and ICTs. 10