Empowering women to join meteorological services through SOFF support
SOFF promotes gender equality and strives to ensure that gender considerations are systematically integrated across all SOFF activities. This includes gender representation in governance, within the SOFF Secretariat, and in the implementation of SOFF in countries.
The SOFF Gender Action Plan was adopted as part of the Operational Manual (Decision 2.2) with updated targets for the first implementation period adopted in Decision 3.3. These targets have been largely achieved in SOFF governance and within the SOFF Secretariat. However, SOFF relies on its partners to apply their gender policies, to meet these goals.
When implementing SOFF, Peer Advisors (advanced National Meteorological and Hydrological Services), Implementing Entities and WMO that serves as SOFF Technical Authority play crucial roles in ensuring that SOFF supported activities promote gender balance. Countries are encouraged to seek support from civil society organizations focused on women’s empowerment to meet the targets set in SOFF’s gender guidance. The SOFF Secretariat also ensures that these gender considerations are reflected in SOFF Investment funding requests and in the indicators and targets established for Investment operations.
As a UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund (UNMPTF), SOFF tracks the Gender Equality Marker (GEM) as part of the Universal Tracking Markers for all UNMPTF funds. Despite progress, challenges remain, particularly within National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, where technical roles are predominantly occupied by men. While the percentage of women in these agencies tend to increase, they are often in administrative or non-technical positions.
To address these challenges, SOFF has initiated consultations with countries and partners through Regional SOFF workshops aimed at strengthening gender inclusion in its activities. Additionally, the SOFF Secretariat’s gender focal point engages with the WMO Gender Coordination Committee to explore opportunities for enhanced support from the WMO Technical Authority on gender issues.
By integrating these strategies and continually striving for improvement, SOFF aims to foster a more inclusive environment that ensures gender equality across all aspects of its operations.
Listen to the WMO podcast with Prof. Dwikorita Karnawati, Permanent Representative of Indonesia with WMO, discussing gender equality at COP28 what women can bring to the table when it comes to climate change. Indonesia serves as a SOFF Peer Advisor, partnering with Finland to support the Maldives and Timor-Leste: Gender Equality Day at COP28 (wmo.int)
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