Report

Equality and Social Inclusion Integration Analysis Report: Strengthening Gender and Social Inclusion across the CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes Program

author(s)

Mokhema, Seipati

themes
  • Multifunctional landscapes
regions
  • Kenya
  • Tanzania
  • India
  • Peru
  • Colombia
  • Zimbabwe
original file download
full citation

Mokhema, Seipati, Karen Nortje, and Sarah Freed. 2026. Equality and Social Inclusion Integration Analysis Report: Strengthening Gender and Social Inclusion across the CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes Program. International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

This report presents a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) integration analysis conducted within the CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL) Program. The analysis assesses the extent to which GESI considerations are embedded across the program’s Areas of Work (AoWs) and country-level implementation sites, and identifies practical pathways to strengthen the systematic integration of GESI principles in research, implementation, and program governance. The study draws on qualitative data collected through interviews and consultations with AoW leads, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Impact Assessment (MELIA) teams, and country-level partners working in Kenya, Tanzania, India, Peru, Colombia, and Zimbabwe.

The findings indicate that while there is strong recognition among program teams that gender equality and social inclusion are critical to achieving equitable and sustainable landscape outcomes, the integration of GESI remains uneven across the MFL portfolio. Key challenges include limited contextualised methodologies, insufficient ethical guidance for inclusive research practices, gaps in documenting and sharing learning, and constrained staff time and financial resources dedicated to GESI activities. In many cases, GESI is treated as a crosscutting theme without clear operational tools, indicators, or accountability mechanisms, which has resulted in fragmented implementation.

The report identifies priority groups within MFL to include women, youth, Indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, and elderly populations and highlights structural barriers that limit their participation and benefit from landscape-based interventions. To address these challenges, the report proposes several strategic entry points for strengthening GESI integration, including the development of a coherent GESI integration framework, dedicated budgets and focal points, improved methodological tools, and enhanced capacity building across program teams. Strengthening these elements will enable the MFL Program to advance more coherent, equitable, and transformative landscape research and development outcomes.