[Event] Designing Inclusive and Accessible Early Warning Systems: Good Practices and Entry Points

Disasters do not affect populations equally, and often disproportionately impact the world’s most economically and socially vulnerable. Men, women, boys, girls and gender and sexual minorities face different vulnerabilities in the context of disasters. Additionally, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups are impacted differently, often facing unique challenges in the face of disasters and climate change.

Effective and inclusive early warning systems (EWS) are critical to enabling early action that can protect life, livelihoods, and assets of the most vulnerable groups. In recognition of the importance of inclusive EWS, the United Nations and World Meteorological Organization have launched an initiative, “Early Warnings for All”.

Further, the World Bank and GFDRR have significantly invested in hydromet projects and EWS across all regions, and with the focus of inclusivity in the GFDRR strategy, it is critical to identify opportunities and ways of designing and building inclusive EWS.

Targeting development practitioners, government officials, and development partners, this panel discusses the findings from a new report that seeks to identify good practices and entry points for integrating inclusivity into early warning systems using case studies and an assessment of gaps and actions that may be taken to build inclusivity into EWS investment programs.