Initiatives
Gender Equality Policy and Action Plan
A cornerstone of WMO’s commitment to inclusion is its Gender Equality Policy, adopted by the seventeenth World Meteorological Congress in 2015 (Annex to Resolution 59, Cg-17), which is operationalized through the WMO Gender Action Plan (GAP). The Plan outlines concrete actions for all parts of the Organization, including the Secretariat, constituent bodies, and Members. The GAP is reviewed every four years to assess progress and set priority actions. Its focus areas include governance, strategic planning, monitoring and compliance, capacity development, human resources, communication and partnerships, resource tracking and allocation, and service provision.
Since the first GAP (2016–2019), updated plans have included targets such as achieving 40% female representation in governance, systematic collection of sex-disaggregated data, strengthening gender analysis capacity, developing women’s leadership through workshops, and promoting female role models in meteorology, hydrology, climatology, and environmental science.
Members
The Action Plan recommends WMO Members to appoint female delagates on their representation to constituent bodies.
The Plan also urges Members to:
- Refer to the Action Plan for guidance and act in accordance with their needs and context both at the national and regional levels;
- Ensure the appointment of focal points for the coordination of gender activities at the national level;
- Ensure that gender mainstreaming policies, which are aligned with national legislation and WMO Gender Equality Policy, are in place and implemented within the NMHSs;
- Support and empower national gender equality focal points to effectively and efficiently coordinate the implementation of relevant aspects of the Action Plan;
- Maintain and regularly review gender-disaggregated statistics on employment, management, participation in capacity-building, research, etc.
Constituent Bodies
The Action Plan commits to gender mainstreaming across all Constituent Bodies (Regional Associations, Technical Commissions and the Research Board) by reaffirming the minimum target of at least 40% of female members of the working structures of regional associations, technical commissions and the Research Board;
It further requests WMO Constituent Bodies to:
- Keep the strong efforts on building and nurturing networks of women scientists and technical experts as well as invest in their capacity;
- Facilitate diverse and balanced expert networks, maintain dialogues, and promote
communication through related activities such as regular meetings and discussions,
building a community of practices in terms of gender and regional representation; - Ensure regional and gender balance and inclusiveness in all structures and work plans as provided in their terms of reference.
The Secretariat
The WMO Secretariat leads initiatives to strengthen the Organization’s effectiveness and impact on the global weather, climate, and water community. These initiatives span operational programs, capacity-building efforts, and policies designed to promote gender equality and meaningful participation across all levels of WMO.
Gender mainstreaming is at the heart of WMO’s mission and is identified in the Gender Equality Policy as the primary mechanism to achieve gender equality across the Organization. WMO aligns with the ECOSOC Agreed Conclusions 1997/2, which define gender mainstreaming as the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action—including legislation, policies, or programs—across all areas and levels.
Oversight of gender mainstreaming is provided by the Gender Focal Point Network established by WMO Executive Management. While WMO does not have a dedicated gender section, units including Human Resources, the Office of Legal Counsel, and the Internal Oversight Office are mandated to implement gender mainstreaming within their respective areas. The Secretariat coordinates gender-related action across the Organization, compiles reports, and operationalizes decisions and recommendations of governance bodies.
