Gender Representation in Climate Adaptation Policies: A Critical Discourse Analysis of East African Nationally Determined Contributions

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 1, January 2026 | pp. 17–24
DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000103

Research Article

Gender Representation in Climate Adaptation Policies: A Critical Discourse Analysis of East African Nationally Determined Contributions

Fatuma Hassan¹, John Mwangi²

¹Department of Environmental Policy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
²School of Global Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract: Climate change policies frequently adopt gender-neutral language that obscures the differentiated vulnerabilities of rural women. This paper presents a critical discourse analysis of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda under the Paris Agreement. Examining policy texts through a feminist political ecology framework, we assess how gender is integrated into agricultural adaptation, water resource management, and disaster risk reduction strategies. The textual analysis reveals that women are predominantly framed as vulnerable victims or passive beneficiaries of resource allocation rather than active agents of environmental governance. Quantitative coding shows that out of 452 policy action points, only 14.2 percent incorporate mandatory gender-disaggregated monitoring indicators (n = 64). The study argues that climate policy frameworks in East Africa must move beyond symbolic inclusion to institutionalize transformative gender justice, ensuring rural women hold decision-making power in climate adaptation fund allocation and local execution.

Keywords: Climate adaptation, gender representation, critical discourse analysis, NDCs, East Africa

Manuscript Timeline: Received: October 25, 2025; Revised: December 05, 2025; Accepted: December 20, 2025; Published: January 20, 2026

Citation: Hassan, F., & Mwangi, J. (2026). Gender Representation in Climate Adaptation Policies: A Critical Discourse Analysis of East African Nationally Determined Contributions. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(1), 17–24. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/000103

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