Gender mainstreaming in WMO-implemented CREWS projects: 2015–2025

Gender mainstreaming is an institutional priority for WMO and its partners. The WMO Gender Action Plan (2020–2023) and CREWS Operational Procedures Note No. 3 – Gender-Sensitive Programming reflect this commitment by calling for gender mainstreaming and integration across the full project cycle, from design and consultation to implementation and monitoring. They also emphasize the importance of embedding gendered approaches in early warning system components and ensuring that activities are tailored to the needs of diverse users.  In practice, however, gender-related activities are frequently designed or delivered in isolation, without full alignment with established operational guidelines. Furthermore, the application of tools such as the United Nations Gender Equality Marker (GEM) has not been standardized, and the absence of a standardized typology for classifying gender deliverables has further contributed to fragmentation – project staff have faced challenges in classifying, resourcing and reporting on gender-specific activities in a consistent manner.  To address these gaps, in December 2024, WMO convened a technical working session on gender mainstreaming approaches in Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) project activities. The discussion brought together regional focal points, project managers and gender focal points to reflect on the current landscape of gender mainstreaming within the CREWS project portfolio. The participants noted common challenges, including limited guidance on how to implement gender mainstreaming, insufficient resources allocated to gender-related activities and difficulty balancing technical project priorities with gender objectives. At the same time, they shared examples of good practices and identified opportunities to better align with established gender mainstreaming standards and expertise.  

Key takeaways from the working session included the following:  

• Inconsistent classification of gender activities across CREWS projects has made it difficult to assess the scale and quality of gender mainstreaming. The participants highlighted the need to refine and standardize the use of GEM, including clearer definitions for levels 1, 2 and 3 and alignment with UN Women SWAP categories. 
• There is a need for stronger institutional alignment between project activities and CREWS’ people-centred and gender-sensitive programming principles.  
• The availability of dedicated resources for gender-focused activities remains limited, particularly in least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS), where basic scientific and technical capacity development is prioritized. The participants suggested phased or piloted approaches as a cost-effective means of introducing and testing gender-responsive components.  
• There is an opportunity to learn from other agencies’ practices, such as checklists for inclusive design, early involvement of gender experts and linking gender actions to national strategic plans.  

This report builds directly on the insights and priorities that emerged from that session. It responds to the call for a unified, evidence-based approach to gender mainstreaming within the CREWS portfolio and provides a consolidated review of how gender is being addressed across WMO-implemented project activities.