This knowledge brief is the first analysis of the gender-based impacts of a lack of access to cooling. It examines the gender-related challenges that should be considered, analysed and addressed to ensure cooling interventions and finance acknowledge gender-differentiated impacts and adapt to maximize equitable access.

This brief offers a series of recommended steps to address these challenges while pursuing universal sustainable cooling and gender equality. Governments, development finance institutions and nongovernmental organizations should raise awareness regarding the gender-based impacts of a lack of access to cooling, bolster policies for protections, drive research to understand gender disparities and increase investments to gender-transformative solutions that also deliver sustainable cooling.