WMO Report Reviews Gender Integration in CREWS Early Warning Projects

CREWS projects are designed to strengthen climate risk information and early warning systems in countries most vulnerable to climate hazards.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a landmark report titled Gender Mainstreaming in WMO-Implemented Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Projects, offering the first consolidated review of how gender considerations have been integrated across a decade of CREWS initiatives in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The report applies the UN Gender Equality Marker (GEM 1–3) alongside a structured analytical framework to systematically assess current practices, identify strengths and gaps, and define priority actions for building more inclusive, people-centred early warning systems.

A Decade of Learning on Gender and Early Warnings

CREWS projects are designed to strengthen climate risk information and early warning systems in countries most vulnerable to climate hazards. This new analysis shows that while steady progress has been made in integrating gender considerations, the depth and consistency of implementation vary across projects and regions.

The report provides a much-needed institutional reference point, documenting how gender mainstreaming has evolved from basic inclusion to more transformative approaches that address structural inequalities and leadership gaps.

Official Launch and High-Level Commitment

The report was officially launched on 4 December 2025 during the WMO-hosted event “Advancing Gender Mainstreaming at WMO: Lessons and Next Steps for 2026.” The event also highlighted findings from a recent Gender Mainstreaming Virtual Workshop organized by WMO’s Services Commission (SERCOM).

Opening remarks were delivered by:

• Ko Barrett, WMO Deputy Secretary-General

• John Harding, Head of the CREWS Secretariat

• Hannah Reinl, Project Manager, International Gender Champions Secretariat

The launch brought together WMO and CREWS partners, with virtual participation from IFRC, UNDRR, ITU, the World Bank, and UN Women (East and Southern Africa Regional Office), reinforcing a shared commitment to gender equality in climate services.

What the Evidence Shows: Three Levels of Gender Integration

The report categorizes CREWS activities into three levels under the Gender Equality Marker (GEM) framework:

1. Gender-Sensitive (GEM 1): Building Inclusion Through Participation

Many CREWS projects ensure the participation of women and underrepresented groups in technical training and capacity building.

• Haiti: Women’s participation in forecast interpretation training broadened the pool of actors able to understand and use early warning information.

• Togo: Inclusive training of women and young professionals improved how hydrometeorological information is communicated to rural communities.

2. Gender-Responsive (GEM 2): Adapting Services to Gendered Needs

Several projects adjusted service design to overcome barriers faced by women, older people and marginalized groups.

• Chad: Co-designed agrometeorological bulletins and community radio dissemination in local languages improved access for women farmers.

• Malawi: Gender-sensitive risk assessments in urban areas revealed differences in how women, men and older persons receive and act on flood warnings, shaping more inclusive alert systems.

3. Gender-Transformative (GEM 3): Shifting Systems and Leadership

A smaller but impactful set of initiatives demonstrates how transforming leadership and governance structures strengthens early warning effectiveness.

• Pacific SIDS: CREWS projects supported women’s leadership in hydrology and early warning governance.

• East Africa: A CREWS–UN Women collaboration strengthened women’s roles in early warning planning and technical decision-making across six countries.

Institutional Learning and Strategic Next Steps

A key contribution of the report is its systematic documentation approach, which aligns gender mainstreaming practices with UN standards and provides a shared institutional framework for WMO and partners.

The report outlines a roadmap of short-, medium- and long-term actions, including:

• Strengthening gender analysis at project design stage

• Improving collection and use of sex-disaggregated data

• Integrating gender considerations across hydrometeorological service design

• Supporting National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to develop gender action plans and monitoring frameworks

These recommendations directly support the WMO Gender Action Plan and align with CREWS Operational Procedure No. 3, offering clearer guidance for future programming.

Reinforced by Broader Community Engagement

The findings build on momentum from the SERCOM Virtual Workshop on Gender Mainstreaming in Hydrometeorological Services, which gathered over 450 participants and documented 30 case studies. Both the workshop and the CREWS report highlight the need for consistent guidance, stronger institutional alignment and improved capacity to apply gender tools in operational contexts.

Together, they provide a robust evidence base for WMO’s next phase of action—demonstrating that gender equality is not an add-on, but a core factor in the effectiveness, reach and sustainability of early warning systems.