The importance of women’s role in delivering, accessing and using weather and climate information services: reflections from across the WISER Programme.
WISER believes that for Weather and Climate Information Services (WCIS) to be effective, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) must be central in implementation.
This is crucial for WISER to achieve its long-term impact – that people and communities disproportionately impacted by extreme weather, seasonal events and climate change, in Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific, have improved resilience and response preparedness.
Research shows that women, girls and marginalised people are more likely to be negatively affected by the impacts of a climate and weather-related extreme event. And social characteristics such as disability, socio-economic, migration and displacement status, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity combine to influence who can make decisions, who can access opportunities and who loses out.
WISER aims to work with partners to ensure we understand the barriers to accessing, understanding and acting upon WCIS in the different contexts we work in. Through this work, we are creating more meaningful and impactful information services, that communicate and respond to the needs of all people, especially the most vulnerable.
To do this, WISER has the honour of working closely with exceptional people who are championing the crucial role of women in delivering, accessing and using WCIS.
To mark International Women’s Day, we asked our partners from across the globe to share their reflections on the role and importance of women in delivering, accessing and using weather and climate services. Here are the responses:
Click here for responses from the below WISER Programme partners.
Prisca Okila, Community Associate, Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI) Kenya, key DARAJA leader in Nairobi, Kenya
Joyce Jelagat, Gender and Climate Expert (NORCAP Expert)
Wafae BADI, Subseasonal and Seasonal Forecast, Climate and Climate Change Service, National Climate Center, DGM, Morocco
Prudensiana Luckago, Program Officer, Centre for Community Initiatives (CCI) Tanzania, Key DARAJA leader in Tanzania
Sayanti Sengupta, Technical Advisor, Social Protection and Climate, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre on behalf of the WISER Clima-Social Project team
Assoc. Prof. Pham Thi Thanh NGA, Director General, Vietnam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology, and Climate Change, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
Dipuo Tawana, Acting Chief Forecaster; DRR, South African Weather Service
Amira Nasser Mostafa, Meteorologist, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA)
Sue Naisara, GEDSI Advisor, Weather Ready Pacific
Laila Shahin, Director of Weather Forecast Directorate, Jordan
Millicent Ondiek, Coordinator Tana River Gender Officer
Cleo Bigwood, International Development Delivery Manager, Gender Equity & Inclusion Champion, UK Met Office
Fredrick Owino, Meteorologist, Seychelles Meteorological Authority
Nkai Karbolo, Agribusiness Coordinator, Cereal Growers Association, Kenya
Marceline Gato, Journalist, Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), Rwanda
Maysoon Badi, Acting CEO / Program Director, Sudan Urban Development Think-Tank (SUDTT), key DARAJA leader in Sudan
Catherine Nimusiima, Program Manager, ACTogether Uganda, key DARAJA leader in Uganda
Dr Laura Burgin, Science Manager, International Applied Science and Services UK Met Office
Alioune Ndiaye, PhD: Thematic Lead Climate and Resilience, Practical Action West Africa
Rebecca Gilbert, RMet International Meteorologist, UK Met Office
Collette Vosloo, Communications lead, Kulima Integrated Development Solutions
Dr M Budimir, Senior Climate and Resilience Expert, Impact, Influence and Innovation, Practical Action
Jawairia Ahmad, Land atmosphere scientist, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Adriaan Perrel, Economic analysis Lead, Tyrsky Consulting
Douglas Parker, PI, University of Leeds and National Centre for Atmospheric Science
Marita Monjane Saraiva, User engagement in Mozambique, Kulima Integrated Development Solutions
Itzel San Roman Pineda, Testbed Lead, University of Leeds
Miriam Murambadoro, User engagement lead in South Africa, South African Weather Service
Kirsty Richards, Programme Support Officer for the WISER Africa Programme
