This research seeks to examine how gender has been main streamed in CDRFI approaches in Pakistan and to provide recommendations to address protection gaps in a gender-responsive manner. Climate-related risks impose high and disproportionate impacts on vulnerable groups, including women, children, elderly people, and socially marginalised communities. In Pakistan, these groups are often financially vulnerable and have little or no access to instruments such as insurance, credit, and savings, which are essential for building resilience and mitigating the economic impacts of disasters. It is therefore essential to incorporate gender and social inclusion dimensions into CDRFI to ensure that products are accessible, fit for purpose, and enable the most vulnerable groups of society to access the financial resources necessary for resilience and recovery.

Gender mainstreaming ensures that women and socially marginalised groups have meaningful opportunities to participate in decision-making processes. In the absence of such inclusion, CDRFI programmes risk reinforcing existing disparities, leaving affected communities without adequate support to recover from climate-induced disasters. Inclusive financial structures can enhance shock responsiveness by expanding access to insurance, credit, and social assistance for vulnerable groups of society.