Advancing Gender-Inclusive Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in the Americas and the Caribbean
The LAC Women’s Network for DRR unites 1,500+ leaders to advance gender-responsive, inclusive early warning systems in LAC, aligned with EW4All. By 2026, it will expand the Gender Observatory, share women-led resilience practices, build capacity, and advocate for risk systems reflecting community realities.
Description
Disasters are not isolated events; they result from the interaction of structural vulnerabilities, pre-existing inequalities, and the escalating climate crisis. Despite progress in disaster risk management, EWS still fail to fully address the realities and needs of women, particularly those in vulnerable conditions.
The LAC Women’s Network for DRR, a coalition of over 1,500 women leaders from various sectors commits to strengthening multi-hazard EWS with a gender-responsive, inclusive, and culturally appropriate approach, aligned with the global UN initiative EW4All.
In 2024, we formed a Working Group on Early Warnings (WG-EW4All) of 53 women, ensuring that regional, territorial, and sectoral representation is at the forefront of the conversation. Through our collective power, we have:
- Developed a regional position paper that is grounded in our shared history, our demands, and actionable proposals—providing a feminist and territorial perspective on EWS.
- Strengthened the Gender Observatory—a groundbreaking tool for evaluating early warning systems through the lenses of rights, inclusion, and justice.
- Compiled over 20 women-led good practices in resilience, providing undeniable proof that communities are saving lives without waiting for top-down approval.
- Contributed to shaping the Sendai Framework’s Gender Action Plan, ensuring that early warning systems reflect our realities, not just institutional norms that exclude us.
LAC Women’s Network for DRR Position on the Early Warning for All Initiative, outlines a roadmap for regional action to:
- Democratizing Access to Risk Information and Communication
- Documenting and Showcasing Women-Led Resilience
- Building Networks and Cross-Border Cooperation
The Women’s Network commits to:
- To fully supporting the implementation of gender-responsive MHEWS in the region.
- To continue documenting and sharing women-led good practices in innovation and resilience in early warning systems.
- To promote the incorporation of a gender approach in disaster and climate risk reduction efforts.
- To expand and activate the Gender Observatory as a powerful, living advocacy tool for participatory change.
- To capacity-building of members and partners, including through webinars, regional platforms, and direct collaboration with local and national actors.
Did the Sendai Framework change or contribute to changes in your activities/organization? If so, how?
To the women’s Network of the Americas and the Caribbean for Disaster Risk Reduction (Red LAC de Mujeres para la RRD), the Sendai Framework has significantly shaped the network's job by embedding its priorities into this commitment’s design and actions. Its focus on understanding disaster risk (Priority 1) and enhancing preparedness (Priority 4) have guided the creation of gender-responsive multi-hazard early warning systems. It inspired the network to form the WG-EW4All, develop a feminist and territorial position paper, strengthen the Gender Observatory, and document women-led resilience practices. This alignment ensures the network initiatives directly contribute to Sendai’s goals, amplifying women’s leadership and inclusive risk governance in the Americas and the Caribbean.
What led you to make this commitment/initiative?
What was your position before making this Voluntary Commitment / prior to the Sendai Framework?
The Sendai Framework’s emphasis on inclusive, gender-responsive disaster risk reduction led UNDRR to commit to advancing gender-transformative multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS). With the support of Red LAC, this commitment reinforces that early warning systems must be community-led, culturally appropriate, and capable of addressing the specific risks and needs of women, especially from marginalized groups. The Sendai Framework’s inclusivity focus drove this commitment to empower women in disaster risk reduction.
Deliverables and Progress report
Deliverables
Deliverables are the end-products of the initiative/commitment, which can include issuance of publications or knowledge products, outcomes of workshops, training programs, videos, links, photographs, etc.
20+ documented good practices by December 2026.
Monitoring and Follow-Up Mechanisms
- Tracking progress through the Women’s Network's internal reporting system.
- Updates shared annually through public channels.
- Summary of progress to be submitted to the UNDRR SFVC platform at midpoint (mid-2026) and at conclusion (end-2026).
2 capacity-building events hosted in 2025–2026.
Monitoring and Follow-Up Mechanisms
- Tracking progress through the Women’s Network's internal reporting system.
- Updates shared annually through public channels.
- Summary of progress to be submitted to the UNDRR SFVC platform at midpoint (mid-2026) and at conclusion (end-2026).
Organizations and focal points
Implementing Organization(s)
Focal points
Partners
