UN Women/Joe Saad
Critical gaps in knowledge sharing
A joint UN study presented to Member States on 28 February 2022 highlighted a gap in the sharing of tools and guidance for gender-responsive disaster and climate resilience between UN agencies. The study, “Beyond vulnerability to gender equality and women’s empowerment and leadership in disaster risk reduction: critical actions for the United Nations system” was led by UN Women, UNDRR, and UNFPA and involved a wider Task Team of 25 United Nations entities. It confirmed that although gender mainstreaming tools and guidance were being developed or used by UN entities - these were not widely shared between agencies.
Similarly, the external stakeholders’ survey for the joint UN study found that 45 percent of the respondents had not used United Nations tools. Since many of the tools and guidance are intended for country and external users, this highlights a communication gap – including the dissemination and accessibility of tools – and a functional gap between what is needed and what is provided.
Centralising knowledge and resources
The Australian Government and UN Women firmly believe that quality data and evidence supported by tailored and accessible tools, have the power to inform and transform the way we build resilience. This is why in February 2022, we launched the Women’s Resilience to Disasters Knowledge Hub, a one-stop-shop for knowledge and resources for countries and key stakeholders to: understand gendered risks, interests and needs; build enabling gender-responsive systems; and realise women’s disaster and climate resilience.
The Women’s Resilience to Disasters Knowledge Hub facilitates knowledge and resource sharing within the UN system and with external stakeholders working on disaster and climate resilience. It does so by:
- Bringing together existing evidence and expertise to inform policy and programming;
- Providing a platform for elevating women’s voices and perspectives on disaster risk reduction and resilience; and
- Initiating research and tool development - designed to suit the needs of the intended end-users - to fill important gaps in the knowledge base.
We are thrilled to share this new platform with the disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, risk-informed development, resilience, gender equality and social inclusion communities for facilitating gender-responsive decision making and action.
