In April, as it celebrates 36 years of dedicated service to indigenous peoples, quilombola communities, traditional peoples and communities, and family farmers, the Institute for Society, Population and Nature (ISPN) takes another step in promoting the strengthening of sustainable livelihoods with community leadership. The institution officially launches its... Gender Policy, a strategic milestone that consolidates gender equality as a central dimension of its organizational culture, governance, and operations in the territories.
“The adoption of ISPN’s Gender Policy represents the consolidation of a collective effort initiated in 2021 within the Gender Working Group, based on dialogue, respect for the context of the territories, and a commitment to socio-environmental justice,” reports ISPN’s managing director, Cristiane Azevedo.
“More than an institutional milestone, this policy reaffirms that promoting equity, care, and diversity should be part of everyday practices and relationships. Therefore, its implementation depends on each person at ISPN assuming the role of agent of this structural change, making this commitment a collective and permanent practice,” the director concludes.
The Gender Working Group was created in 2021 as a space for support and listening among women. Over the years, it has expanded its scope and, in 2025, the group began to develop guidelines with the support of an external consultant. Following this process, a text was drafted by representatives of the Gender Working Group, with contributions from the Institute's coordination, reflecting principles such as intersectionality and a culture of care.
“We understand that this is a living instrument that should guide both our internal management and our relationships with partners and communities in the territories,” analyzes Jessica Pedreira, a member of the Working Group and senior socio-environmental analyst at ISPN.
Intersectionality and climate commitment
The document, which now guides all of the Institute's actions, is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 and 13, which address Gender Equality and Climate Action, reinforcing the connection between the struggles for the rights of women and people with gender dissident identities and the climate emergency.
The policy focuses on defending Human Rights and socio-environmental justice, recognizing that gender equality is inseparable from environmental protection and the dignity of individuals. Furthermore, it prioritizes the promotion of autonomy and well-being, in harmony with territories and their communities, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which establishes dignity, freedom, and equality as fundamental rights for all people.
One of the highlights of this policy is the adoption of intersectionality, recognizing that women, girls, and LGBTQIAPN+ people are affected by multiple layers of oppression, such as race, class, ethnicity, age, and disability. The policy, therefore, treats gender identities as plural experiences that require specific and careful responses.
From management to territories
ISPN's Gender Policy establishes commitments for both internal stakeholders (contracted staff, consultants, and interns) and external stakeholders (suppliers, territory partners, and partner organizations).
Among the main internal guidelines, the following stand out: the mainstreaming of the gender perspective in all processes; gender parity in selection processes and governance spaces; and periodic training actions for awareness and prevention of violence.
For external audiences, the actions are geared towards promoting the participation of people of diverse genders, races, ethnicities, and sexualities in projects, respecting the demands and realities of the territories. This also includes the prevention of violence, harassment, and gender discrimination, and the integration of a gender perspective into projects.
Monitoring and evaluation
The Gender Working Group will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the ISPN Gender Action Plan and for its periodic review, which will be carried out every five years, or when necessary, considering lessons learned, indicators, and recommendations from internal or external evaluations.
Monitoring is part of the organizational learning process and will be reflected in policy updates. The institutional ombudsman, responsible for handling complaints and violations with autonomy and protection for the parties involved, will support monitoring and evaluation, ensuring confidentiality.