Women must be a starting point, not an afterthought, for adaptation

True gender-responsive adaptation embeds gender across planning, budgets and delivery, recognising who grows food, manages water, rebuilds homes and protects communities in times of crisis. It confronts unequal access to land, income, technology and decision-making that shapes who can adapt and who is left behind. What must happen next is clear: governments must make gender-responsive adaptation non-negotiable, invest in locally led solutions, and ensure finance reaches frontline communities. Only by turning commitments into action can adaptation reduce risk rather than deepen inequality.