Integrating gender analysis into food & nutrition security early warning systems in West Africa

Integrating gender dimensions into early warning systems is critical to support equitable crisis prevention and response. This paper investigates the extent to which food and nutrition security early warning systems (FNS EWS) in the Sahel and West Africa are gender-responsive and highlights existing gaps at national and regional levels. Progress has been made by key partners and stakeholders towards strengthening the gender analysis of FNS EWS, however, these efforts have not led to a unified reconfiguration of joint FNS EWS mechanisms to be more gender-responsive. More concerted efforts are required to assess and track the gender dimensions of FNS EWS to inform more equitable emergency prevention and response. This paper provides timely policy directions to support stakeholders’ efforts in strengthening the gender-responsiveness of early warning systems in the Sahel and West Africa.