Transitioning towards sustainable and resilient energy and food systems in Asia and the Pacific presents opportunities to advance gender equality. Adopting a gender lens in solutions and policy initiatives on energy and food system transformations is especially critical in the current polycrisis context (figure 1) as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate emergency, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis have particularly threatened women’s livelihoods, health and wellbeing.

The shocks of the polycrisis have heightened inequalities within countries. High food and fuel prices have led to uneven welfare implications, including income losses, employment disruptions, nutrition setbacks and the potential widening of gender gaps. Failure to address these multifaceted shockwaves could result in persistent disparities.

The ESCAP-ADB-UNDP 2023 SDG Partnership Report sheds light on how countries in the Asia- Pacific region have experienced fragility in their food, energy and finance systems undermining years of progress in reducing hunger and providing energy access. The report also explores opportunities to redirect the region towards a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future by transforming the interconnected energy, food and finance sectors to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)