The Power of Women to Protect the Planet

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Subject: The Power of Women to Protect the Planet

2X Global: Unlocking gender-smart capital at scale

Dear Friend,

Just last week was the global commemoration of Earth Day, and along with millions around the world, we took the time to reflect on our planet - its potential and power but also the perils it faces and the work needed to preserve it for generations to come.

The theme for this year’s Earth Day celebrations was “Our Power, Our Planet”, homing in on how ordinary individuals have the power in their hands to mobilise themselves, their families and communities to protect the planet and demand environmental progress.

For us, it brought to mind powerfully how often it is women who take up the mantle as stewards of the planet - from preserving and passing on deep-seated local knowledge about flora and fauna to pioneering resilient agriculture techniques to mobilising community environmental activism.

It also reminded us that women and girls are significantly affected by the impacts of climate change, in ways ranging from serious health risks to increased labour burdens, higher risks of Gender-Based Violence and impacts on their livelihoods.

Crucially, this proximity to the frontlines of climate impact and environmental management has also positioned women as powerful innovators. Drawing on lived experience and practical knowledge, women are designing solutions that are practical, innovative and deeply rooted in the realities of the communities they serve - making them more responsive, inclusive, and ultimately more effective.

Over the past month, we’ve been spotlighting some of these women climate innovators, specifically those who are grantees of the Resilient Futures Fund (RFF), which is managed by 2X Global and supported by Amazon, Reckitt, the Skoll Foundation, the UPS Foundation, and the Visa Foundation.

Check out the case studies on our website and video features on our LinkedIn where we share the stories behind their work and the impact they are driving on the ground.

Keep reading for a selection of the latest GLI news and insights.

In Community,

2X Global Team

2X Criteria Training - 12 May

Join us on 12 May for a practical online session on how to apply the 2X Criteria across companies, funds, and financial institutions operating in diverse sectors, contexts, and geographies.

Using the 2X Criteria Reference Guide, we’ll walk through approaches tailored specifically to investment transactions. You’ll gain clear guidance, insights, and actionable tools to strengthen gender smart investing in your portfolio.

News from the field

Mainstreaming gender lens investing. Progress on paper, stagnation in practice. The OMFIF Gender Balance Index 2026 covers 335 institutions and finds women still hold just 19% of top leadership roles, and at the current pace, parity is 22 years away. A new paper from IFC and Oliver Wyman establishes the first dedicated baseline on women's representation in emerging market infrastructure funds and offers a practical framework for LPs and GPs looking to make progress. Ford Foundation President Heather Gerken reflects on the 70th Commission on the Status of Women — from gender-based violence to care work to disability rights — and what it will take to move gender justice from policy to practice. BII has unveiled its 2026–2031 strategy, targeting £15 billion in capital for developing economies and raising its 2X Challenge commitment to 30% of new core investments. What started as a $1 million Visa Foundation grant has helped Pro Mujer reach 250,000 women entrepreneurs across Latin America — and US$4.4 billion in microloans over 35 years. Women-focused bonds have reached US$160 billion in cumulative issuances since 2013, with Social Bonds growing at a 38% compound annual rate since 2020. A new IFC report maps the bond market for women's economic empowerment and what it will take to scale it further..

Gender and Climate Investing. Drawing on more than 115 studies across Africa and South Asia, a new report from Caribou, Value for Women, and the Shell Foundation makes the investment case for the gender–clean energy nexus, and shows that financing terms, not technology, are often what determines whether women benefit or not. Read about it on our Field Notes blog. Proparco, the European Investment Bank, and a consortium of European DFIs have signed the Global Green Bond Initiative Fund, an EU-backed vehicle aiming to mobilise up to €20 billion in private capital for sustainable infrastructure in low and middle-income countries. Canada has announced CA$13 billion in international climate finance as part of its 2026 Spring Economic Update, scaling up and reorienting support to help emerging economies cut emissions and crowd in private investment. FinDev Canada will be a key vehicle for delivery, with a focus on energy, infrastructure, and climate-smart agriculture. When POPO in Uganda added five words to their job listing — "women are strongly encouraged to apply" — 72% of applicants for a technical field role were women. A Value for Women blog on what it actually takes to build inclusive talent pipelines in clean energy.

Leadership, Culture and Policy, JEDI. Bangkok has become the first city in Asia-Pacific to earn Gold certification under the UNDP Gender Equality Seal, scoring 94.8% after starting its journey in 2023 at just 8%. Check out this remarkable case study in what institutional commitment to gender equality can look like in practice. An AI startup's billboard campaign — promising an employee who "outworks everyone and will never ask for a raise" next to the image of a woman — was pulled from Bristol Airport after multiple complaints to the UK's Advertising Standards Authority. The backlash has reignited a wider conversation about how bias gets built into AI, and who pays the price. Anti-gender movements raised $707 million between 2009 and 2018 — while 99% of development aid still does not directly reach women's rights organisations. This timely piece from PHILEA dives into why philanthropic organisations cannot afford to treat gender as a side issue.

Data and Tools. A new UBS report maps the investable universe for gender-lens investing and proposes a theory of change to help investors understand where to focus their capital. Women hold just 12% of CEO roles across EU banking, and male executive directors earn around 10% more than their female counterparts. The EBA's latest benchmarking report across 850 institutions also finds a positive correlation between gender balance and return on equity. 429 gender indicators across 20 data sources, and yet we are still measuring women in the system far better than we are measuring whether the system is working for women. This World Bank blog makes the case for quality over quantity when it comes to gender data.

Care Economy. Rwanda's Minister of Gender made it plain this week: care can no longer be treated as a private household matter. A high-level dialogue in Kigali, organised by UN Women and the Ministry of Gender, reviewed progress under the country's care economy agenda and called for stronger financing, data systems, and cross-sector coordination to match political will with implementation. In a telling gap between policy and culture, Italy's parliament rejected a proposal to equalise parental leave — five months for mothers versus ten days for fathers — while a growing movement of "dad influencers" is quietly reshaping what fatherhood looks like on the ground. Investing in childcare and long-term care in Bangladesh could create over 7 million decent jobs by 2035, according to ILO projections presented at the National Care Conclave 2026 in Dhaka. The National Care Conclave 2026 brought together policymakers and civil society around a clear demand: state recognition of care work as collective responsibility. With 85% of Bangladeshi women in the informal sector, the stakes could not be higher.

Resilience (GBVH, Financial Inclusion, Health, Security).

Coverage of misogynistic violence has dropped to a nine-year low, just 1.3% of all online news, while searches for "domestic abuse support" have increased fivefold. A new Global Misogyny News Coverage Tracker launched at the International Journalism Festival exposes the paradox and makes the case for survivor-centred reporting. Canada has launched its first national sovereign wealth fund — the Canada Strong Fund — with an initial federal contribution of CA$25 billion targeting clean and conventional energy, critical minerals, agriculture, and infrastructure. With ODA down 25% and gender equality still sitting in "soft" policy spaces, how do advocates sustain momentum when the financial architecture is working against them? ICRW and the Center for Global Development convened this session at Women Deliver 2026 to map a strategic roadmap for economic justice across global policy moments.

Community Calendar

18-21 May

Ecosperity Week 2026 is a flagship sustainability conference convening global leaders, investors, and innovators to advance practical, system-level solutions that accelerate Asia’s transition to a low-carbon, resilient, and sustainable economy. Learn more and register interest to attend.

26-28 May

Pro Mujer’s GLI Forum Latam moves to Lima, Peru for this year’s edition, convening hundreds of stakeholders focused on promoting Gender Lens Investing as an effective way to drive equality and economic development in the region. The 2X Global team will be on the ground - come meet us! Learn more and get tickets.

27-28 May

The RIAA Conference of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia brings together finance, sustainability and industry practitioners who want to focus on the key themes for responsible investment in 2026. Browse the programme and secure tickets here.

3-4 June

The second edition of our GLI Deep Dives for 2026, focus on climate finance and how to integrate gender considerations. 2X Global’s GLI Deep Dives are members-only virtual conferences designed to equip our community with the tools, insights, and connections needed to drive impact. To participate, contact our membership team at membership@2xglobal.org.

Thank you to our partners and supporters

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Subject: The Power of Women to Protect the Planet