WMO Unveils 2023 Gender Action Plan to Boost Women's Role in Climate Action
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has approved an updated Gender Action Plan for 2023, aiming to build on the progress made by its 2015 plan. This move underscores the organization's commitment to promoting gender equality and diversity in its activities and projects, recognizing the significant contributions women's perspectives make to effective climate action.
The updated plan, approved by Congress in June 2023, urges the WMO Secretariat to lead by example, develop capacity, and foster networks of women. This comes as a UN Women report in January 2024 projected that gender equity in top positions will take another 130 years at the current pace.
Since the WMO Reform in 2019, women's participation in constituent bodies has increased by 30%. The 2015 Gender Action Plan also saw a significant rise in women's involvement, with delegation participation jumping from 11% in 2011 to 28% in 2023. The new plan aims to accelerate these positive changes.
Gender equality is a cross-cutting issue that can drive progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include SDG14 (Life Below Water), SDG13 (Climate Action), SDG6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG2 (Zero Hunger). Households headed by women, who often face higher poverty rates, are also more vulnerable to disaster risks from climate change.
The 2023 Updated WMO Gender Action Plan is a significant step towards accelerating women's inclusion and representation within the organization and its projects. By recognizing the value of women's perspectives, WMO is committed to enhancing climate mitigation, adaptation, early warning services, and disaster risk reduction. This, in turn, will improve outcomes and resilience for all populations, contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.
