MORE WOMEN MORE NATURE PROGRAM

The "+Women +Nature" initiative made three financial instruments available to Costa Rican women to mitigate the economic impacts generated by COVID-19. It is a unique program in Latin America and the Caribbean, which makes Costa Rica a global benchmark for concrete actions to ensure the link between nature, gender equality and women's empowerment. It seeks to support women biodiversity managers, agricultural producers, ecotourism entrepreneurs, scientists and researchers who will be able to access credit with favorable conditions to finance their activities.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Economic and fiscal instruments›Financing mechanisms /market-based instruments (e.g. taxes to generate revenue)

Challenges addressed

Ecologic connectivity
Soil quality
Water management (e.g. reuse)
Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Watershed restoration/water quality
Air quality
Social cohesion
Social equity
Nature appropriation / stewardship
Reconnection to the biosphere / environmental education
Human health, comfort and well-being

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

Some of the activities supported by this credit are sustainable tourism, reforestation, forest conservation, sustainable agriculture, sustainable livestock, development of pig, goat, responsible fishing or poultry activities, beekeeping or manufacture of cosmetic, medicinal, edible and other products based on natural products, etc. These credits seek to promote the coexistence, protection and sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity in the different productive activities led by women in Costa Rica.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Green areas for water management

Other

Good practice characteristics:

Effective

Sustainable in the long-term

Locally appropriate

Potential to be replicated / upscaled

Innovative

Inclusivity

Multifunctional NBS support

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) and UNDP's Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN)

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

Instrument developed by an interdisciplinary team from both institutions.

Involvement of non-governmental actors:

Citizens or community groups / NGOs

Type of actor involvement:

Co-planning or co-design of instrument (e.g. boards, advisory role)

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

There are 3 different instruments that are implemented by different institutions: 1.Crédito FONAFIFO a tu lado, to promote economic development and improve the quality of life of rural women. This is a line of financing of up to five million colones with a fiduciary guarantee, a ten-year term and a fixed annual rate of 4% for productive development, working capital, infrastructure, equipment and innovative projects related to the forest. MUJERES NATURA Credit, to integrate the gender perspective, equality and women's empowerment in biodiversity management. This is a line of financing granted by Fundecooperación, of up to ten million colones, with a maximum term of five years. Payment of Environmental Services to women. Priority is given to the Payment of Environmental Services (PSA), to women owners of forests and forest plantations. The PES consists of a financial recognition by the State for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, protecting biodiversity and water, as well as the scenic beauty service provided by forests.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Bodies implementing the financial mechanisms

Targeted actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Citizens or community groups (CBOs), NGOs, NGOs, etc.

Financing

Sources of funding:

Funds provided by non-governmental organization

Budget:

Above 10 000 000€

Details about instrument financing:

FONAFIFO credit at your side, to promote economic development and improve the quality of life of rural women. This is a line of financing of up to five million colones with a fiduciary guarantee, a ten-year term and a fixed annual rate of 4% for productive development, working capital, infrastructure, equipment and innovative projects related to the forest. MUJERES NATURA Credit, to integrate the gender perspective, equality and women's empowerment in biodiversity management. This is a line of financing granted by Fundecooperación, of up to ten million colones, with a maximum term of five years. Payment of Environmental Services to women. Priority is given to the Payment of Environmental Services (PSA), to women owners of forests and forest plantations. The PES consists of a financial recognition by the State for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, protecting biodiversity and water, as well as the scenic beauty service provided by forests.

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Is a monitoring framework in place?:

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

Improved capacities of biodiversity-related public institutions (CONAGEBIO, SINAC, FONAFIFO) to address gender gaps within institutions More than 189,000 Euros will be invested in 2020. These funds are helping to protect 3,959 hectares of forest and have generated employment in a complex time.

Success factors and lessons learned:

Work with women has an impact on the well-being of many families. 3,959 hectares of forest have been protected.

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

Biofin -UNDP ( n.d.) More women more nature Available at https://biofin.cr/soluciones-financieras/mujeres-natura/ (Accessed 26 June 2022) Biofin -UNDP ( 2021) Women +Nature Program: putting women at the center of biodiversity financing in Costa Rica. Available at https://www.biofin.org/news-and-media/women-nature-programme-putting-women-heart-biodiversity-finance-costa-rica (Accessed June 26, 2022) Biofin -UNDP ( 2021) Women + Nature Program Financial Solutions Available at https://bionegocios.cr/sites/default/files/2020-08/Soluciones%20financieras%20Programa%20%2BM%20%2BN.pdf Accessed June 26, 2022

Interview(s):

Ana Lucia Orozco BIOFIN-UNDP

Photos

BIOFIN-UNDP 2020