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GENDER ISSUES IN NATURAL DISASTERS:

TALKING POINTS AND RESEARCH NEEDS

ILO InFocus Programme on Crisis Response and Reconstruction Workshop

Geneva May 3- !"""#$aine #narson %enarson&us'est(net)

Introduction

Gender re$ations as 'e$$ as natura$ disasters are socia$$y constructed under di**erent geographic+

cu$tura$+ po$itica$-economic and socia$ conditions and have comp$e, socia$ conseuences *or'omen and men( For the purposes o* discussion+ ho'ever+ this report *oregrounds common

patterns rather than di**erence+ negative impacts rather than opportunities created .y disasters+

and gender and disaster issues primari$y impacting 'omen(

1. Gender ha !een ne"#ected in diater reearch$ %#annin" and %ractice !ut a ne&

%aradi"' i e'er"in".

I* addressed at a$$+ gender has .een integrated into disaster research and practice as a

demographic varia.$e or persona$ity trait and not as the .asis *or a comp$e, and dynamic set o*

socia$ re$ations( Gender is a$so seen as an aspect o* 'omen/s $ives more than men/s and as

derivative o* socia$ c$ass+ i(e( 'omen are disaster victims .ecause they are poor( 0ot'ithstanding

signi*icant progress integrating gender ana$ytica$$y and in the *ie$d %e(g( O,*am/s approach to

gender and emergencies)+ neither governmenta$ agencies nor 0GOs have as yet *u$$y integrated

gender re$ations as a *actor in disaster vu$nera.i$ity and response+ nor have they engaged 'omen

as eua$ partners in disaster mitigation and community-.ased p$anning(

1rising in opposition to the dominant technocratic emergency management approach+

vu$nera.i$ity theory and *eminist theory suggest an a$ternative approach $inking socia$ 2ustice and

gender eua$ity to disaster mitigation through sustaina.$e deve$opment( Internationa$ researchers+.ased primari$y in deve$oping societies and dra'ing on case studies+ survivor narratives+ and

accounts *rom *ie$d 'orkers+ are no' ana$ying the gendered po$itica$ economy o* disasters(

Gender is $ess evident$y a part o* current disaster p$anning and po$icy+ though 'omen and

chi$dren 'ere identi*ied as 4keys to prevention5 during the Internationa$ 6ecade *or 0atura$

6isaster Reduction and 'omen organied con*erences on these issues in Centra$ 1merica and the

Cari..ean %7883)+ 1ustra$ia %788)+ Pakistan %6uryog 0ivaran+ 7889)+ :russe$s %7889)+

Washington+ 6(C( %Inter1ction 788;)+ :ritish Co$um.ia %788;)+ Miami %

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(. Gender %o&er)u##* ha%e hu'an re%one to diater$ !oth direct#* and indirect#*.

+o'en are e%ecia##* hard,hit !* the ocia# i'%act o) en-iron'enta# diater.

Whi$e natura$ disasters o*ten impact human communities very .road$y+ residents are not eua$$y

at risk o* $oss and harm nor eua$$y a.$e to recover( Poor househo$ds are 'e$$-kno'n to .eespecia$$y vu$nera.$e .ut gender-speci*ic e**ects are a$so suggested+ *or e,amp$e .y such

indicators as? Postdisaster mortality, injury, and illness rates'hich are o*ten %.ut not universa$$y) higher

*or gir$s and 'omenB

Economic losses 'hich disproportionate$y impact economica$$y insecure 'omen %e(g(

agricu$tura$ $osses o* 'omen *armers+ the destruction o* 'omen/s home-.ased .usinesses+

$imited access to postdisaster economic aid)B

Work load changes 'hich suggest that disasters increase 'omen/s responsi.i$ities in the

domestic sphere+ paid 'orkp$ace+ and community through the disaster cyc$e o* preparation+

re$ie*+ reconstruction+ and mitigationB

Postdisaster stresssymptoms 'hich are o*ten %.ut not universa$$y) reported more *reuent$y

.y 'omenB

Increased rates of sexual and domestic violenceagainst gir$s and 'omen in disaster conte,ts(

1dditiona$$y+ a 'ide range o* gender di**erences have .een documented regarding emergency

communicationB househo$d disaster decisions a.out preparedness+ evacuation+ mitigation+ and use

o* re$ie* assetsB vo$untary re$ie* and recovery 'ork %e(g( search and rescue+ emotiona$ and

materia$ care o* survivors)B access to evacuation she$ter and re$ie* goodsB emp$oyment in disaster

p$anning+ re$ie* and recovery programsB and other areas re$evant to disaster practitioners(

6isaster practitioners and p$anners kno'$edgea.$e a.out these and other gender patterns in

disasters can target scarce resources more e**ective$y( >uestions *or researchers and po$icy

makers inc$ude?

What socia$ indicators .est predict the re$ative impact o* natura$ disasters on 'omen and

men+ gir$s and .oys@ 1re se,-speci*ic data on these points avai$a.$e to institutiona$ andcommunity p$anners@

In diverse environmenta$+ po$itica$-economic+ socia$+ and cu$tura$ conte,ts+ ho' do gender

re$ations di**erent$y shape the impacts o* natura$ disasters and the %o*ten) varying responses

o* 'omen and men to them@ What cross-haard and cross-cu$tura$ patterns can .e identi*ied@

. Gender ine/ua#it* i a root caue o) &o'en0 diater -u#nera!i#it*. G#o!a# )orce and

ocia# chan"e %#acin" 'ore %eo%#e at "reater ri o) diater a#o di%ro%ortionate#* i'%act

&o'en.

Far *rom unmediated natura$/ eventsarising *rom human sett$ement in an inherent$y uncertain

environment+ natura$ disasters are socia$processesprecipitated .y environmenta$ events .ut

grounded in socia$ re$ations and historica$ deve$opment patterns( Gender ineua$ity is asigni*icant contri.uting *actor in the socia$ construction o* risk(

Women/s su.ordination is a root cause o* disaster vu$nera.i$ity( Womens economic insecurity

%e(g( high poverty rates+ contingent $a.or+ home'ork+ $ack o* credit and savings) increases their

need *or postdisaster *inancia$ assistance(Ideological constraintson *ema$e mo.i$ity may $imitaccess to $i*esaving in*ormation+ she$ter+ or re$ie* goods(Male dominancein disaster decision-

making undermines 'omen/s greater 'i$$ingness to mitigate the e**ects o* kno'n haards %e(g(

moving $ivestock+ too$s+ or househo$d goods to sa*er $ocations+ making evacuation p$ans)+ may

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misdirect disaster re$ie* *rom *ami$y needs to persona$ interests+ and o*ten $eads to gender-.iased

re$ie* and reconstruction programs %e(g( targeting *unds to ma$e heads o* househo$d+ $imiting

'omen/s paid disaster recovery 'ork)( Sexual and domestic violencemagni*ies the demands

'omen *ace during crisis .ut is not integrated into post-disaster housing po$icies or disaster

pu.$ic hea$th initiatives(Extensivecaregiving responsiilities throughout the disaster cyc$esu.stantia$$y increase 'omen/s emotiona$ and materia$ 'ork $oad and+ 'hen caregivers put the

'e$$-.eing o* others *irst+ may endanger 'omen/s $ives(!eterosexist practices and kinshiprelationsp$ace 'omen outside the norm %e(g( 'ido's+ sing$e 'omen+ $es.ians+ sing$e mothers) at

greater risk 'hen re$ie* programs are designed to reach 'omen through ma$e-headed househo$ds(

Women are a$so at greater risk due to po'er re$ations intersecting 'ith gender %e(g( socia$

ineua$ities .ased on raceDethnicity+ socia$ c$ass+ age) and to g$o.a$ patterns o* deve$opment(

Economic gloali"ationincreases 'omen/s economic insecurity %e(g( through contingent $a.or+

2o. $oss in restructuring industries+ increased in*orma$-sector 'ork) and e,pands their unpaid

'ork %e(g( through structura$ ad2ustment cut.acks in socia$ services disproportionate$y used .y

'omen)( #ran migration and hyperurani"ation.rings 'omen to unsa*e $iving conditions and

in*orma$ sector 'ork in huge ur.an centers+ 'here they are increasing$y e,posed to ur.an

environmenta$ po$$ution and disasters such as muds$ides and earthuakes(Environmental

degradationc$ear$y endangers 'omen as the primary users and managers o* natura$ resources%e(g( drought e**ects on 'omen *armers+ de*orestation e**ects on *ue$ 'ood gathering)(

6emographic trendsa$soincrease 'omen/s re$ative risk(Increased longevityresu$ts in an o$der

and more *eminied popu$ation more $ike$y to .e $iving 'ith signi*icant physica$ andDor menta$$imitations( Ehe g$o.a$ rise in $omen heading households over$oads 'omen during crises+

genera$$y increases their economic insecurity+ and may e,c$ude sing$e mothers and their chi$dren

'hen disaster re$ie* is geared to ma$e-headed househo$ds( %hanging household structurea$so puts

more 'omen at risk( Rising rates o* 'omen $iving a$one increases socia$ iso$ation and hence

reduces access to disaster 'arnings or recovery in*ormationB at the same time+ more o$der and

*rai$ 'omen 'i$$ reside in group homes or nursing homes 'here they may have acute needs *or

assistance during natura$ disasters(

Gender re$ations a$so increase men/s vu$nera.i$ity+ *or e,amp$e through risky .ut 4heroic5 search

and rescue activities+ se$*-destructive coping strategies/ invo$ving interpersona$ vio$ence and

su.stance a.use+ and mascu$inity norms 'hich may $imit their a.i$ity to ask *or needed he$p(

nderstanding the root causes o* gendered vu$nera.i$ity is essentia$ i* re$ie* and reconstruction

programs are to reduce rather than reconstruct peop$e/s risk in *uture natura$ events( >uestions *orresearchers and po$icy makers inc$ude?

Ao' and to 'hat e,tent to gender re$ations+ deve$opment patterns+ or demographic shi*ts

a**ect 'omen/s and men/s e,posure to disaster impacts and $osses and their re$ative a.i$ity to

recover@

Ao' can these $arge patterns .e assessed in speci*ic conte,ts@ What se,-speci*ic data are

avai$a.$e to institutiona$ and community p$anners %e(g( on economic insecurity as a *actor indisaster vu$nera.i$ity+ or gender patterns in postdisaster economic recovery)@

Eo 'hat degree have gender patterns increasing disaster vu$nera.i$ity .een inc$uded in the

design and imp$ementation o* emergency response+ re$ie*+ and reconstruction po$icies@ With

'hat e**ects@

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2. +o'en are not uni-era##* or identica##* i'%acted !* diater. Hi"h#* -u#nera!#e

&o'en ha-e %eci)ic need and interet !e)ore$ durin"$ and a)ter diater(

Eaking gender re$ations into account suggests that those most $ike$y to .e hard-hit and to need

$ong-term assistance recovering *rom environmenta$ disasters+ inc$ude?

destitute+ $o'-income+ and economica$$y insecure 'omenB 'omen 'ho are contingent

'orkers or unemp$oyedB home'orkers and others in the in*orma$ sectorB sma$$-sca$e *armersB'omen in caregiving 2o.s and pro*essions

'omen in su.ordinated racia$DethnicDcu$tura$ groupsB recent immigrants and undocumented

'omenB 'omen migrant 'orkers

'omen heading househo$ds+ those in $arge comp$e, househo$ds+ and 'omen caring *or many

dependents

*rai$ senior 'omen+ undernourished 'omen and those 'ith chronic hea$th pro.$ems or

disa.$ing physica$ and menta$ conditions+ and 'omen 'hose mo.i$ity is restricted due to

pregnancy or chi$d.earing

'ido's and sing$e 'omenB socia$$y iso$ated 'omenB rura$ 'omen

'omen su.2ect to domestic and se,ua$ vio$ence+ and those insecure$y housed in she$ters

*unctiona$$y i$$iterate 'omenB 'omen not *$uent in ma2ority $anguages

Aigh$y vu$nera.$e gir$s and 'omen may not .e socia$$y visi.$e or inc$uded in disaster p$ans .ut

they have urgent needs+ *or e,amp$e *or? sa*e and accessi.$e evacuation space and temporary

housingB euita.$e access to *ood+ c$othing+ and other re$ie* goodsB transportation assistance and

emergency communication in community $anguagesB chi$d care and other services supporting

'omen/s $ong-term care o* surviving dependentsB reproductive hea$th care and gender-sensitive

menta$ hea$th services during evacuation+ re$ocation+ and resett$ementB provision *or mitigating

vio$ence against 'omen in disaster conte,tsB $ong-term economic recovery assistance and access

to paid disaster re$ie* and recovery 'ork(

6isaster interventions must .e in*ormed .y kno'$edge a.out conte,t-speci*ic patterns o*

preparedness+ impact+ response+ and recovery( >uestions *or researchers and po$icy-makersinc$ude?

In case studies o* disaster events+ 'hat socia$ indicators .est predict the vu$nera.i$ities o*

'hich 'omen and men@ 1re se,-speci*ic data on these patterns avai$a.$e to institutiona$ and

community p$anners@

What mode$s e,ist *or the success*u$ integration o* gender ana$ysis into predisaster

vu$nera.i$ity assessments+ and *or co$$a.oration .et'een disaster p$anners and 'omen/s

organiations kno'$edgea.$e a.out $oca$ po'er structures and high$y vu$nera.$e gir$s and

'omen@

What are the speci*ic short-term needs o* high$y vu$nera.$e gir$s and 'omen in speci*ic

conte,ts@ What are 'omen/s $ong-term interests in reconstruction@

3. Gender ha%e ca%acit* a &e## a -u#nera!i#it*. +o'en are acti-e and reource)u#diater re%onder !ut o)ten re"arded a he#%#e -icti'.

Media images o* 'eeping 'omen passive$y a'aiting rescue .y strong-armed men in*$uence

re*$ect and rein*orce deep$y im.edded notions o* gender 'hich shape responses to disaster .y

organiations+ po$itica$ $eaders+ and $oca$ residents( In *act+ gender re$ations and the gendered

division o* $a.or situate 'omen at the center+ not the margins+ o* disasters as active responders as

'e$$ as $ike$y victims(

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Womens reproductive disaster $ork includes&

mitigating the e**ects o* haards on residences and possessionsB

organiing the activities o* *ami$y+ kin+ neigh.ors+ and community mem.ers to prepare *or an

anticipated disaster %e(g( cyc$one+ *$ood)B

securing re$ie* %*ood+ 'ater+ c$othing+ medica$ care+ emergency she$ter and temporary

accommodation+ economic aid+ re.ui$ding materia$s+ in*ormation) *rom emergency authoritiesand in other 'aysB

meeting the immediate surviva$ needs o* *ami$y mem.ersB

providing comprehensive and $ong-term care *or chi$dren+ i$$ and disa.$ed *ami$y mem.ers+

and seniorsB

managing temporary househo$d evacuation and temporary or permanent re$ocationB

making or managing househo$d repairs and reconstructing residences

Womens productive disaster $orkincludes&

mitigating the e**ects o* haards on $and+ $ivestock+ too$s+ and other economic resourcesB

provisioning househo$ds *or crisis %e(g( p$anting drought-resistant cropsB organiing

emergency *ood supp$ies)B

preparing+ c$eaning up+ and repairing 2o. sites and home-.ased 'ork spacesB

responding to disaster survivors through ski$$ed 2o.s and pro*essions in the human and socia$

services %e(g( chi$d care providers+ crisis 'orkers and counse$ors+ teachers+ socia$ 'orkers)

'aged disaster re$ie* positions %e(g( *ood-*or-'ork programs+ emergency re$ie* 2o.s+ *ront-

$ine/ medica$ responders)

responding to changed economic conditions %e(g( through migration+ retraining+ ne' 2o.s)

Womens community disaster $orkincludes&

identi*ying and assisting high$y vu$nera.$e gir$s and 'omen %e(g( sing$e mothers+ iso$ated

rura$ 'omen+ *oreign domestic 'orkers+ 'omen and chi$dren in .attered 'omen/s she$ters)B

vo$untary neigh.orhoodDcommunity emergency preparedness+ evacuation+ search and rescue+emergency re$ie*+ and recovery 'orkB

*orma$ and in*orma$ po$itica$ $eadership through crisis and reconstruction+ e(g( making

'omen/s needs kno'n+ organiing po$itica$$y against gender or racia$ .ias in the re$ie*

process

Women/s $oca$ community kno'$edge+ strong socia$ net'orks+ key ro$es in *ami$ies+ and active'ork ro$es make them resource*u$ socia$ actors in crisis+ yet they are rare$y recognied as *ront-

$ine/ responders( >uestions *or researchers and po$icy-makers inc$ude?

What mode$s can .e documented o* the e**ective integration o* community-.ased 'omen/s

groups and organiations into disaster p$anning+ response+ and mitigation pro2ects@

What are 'omen/s short- and $ong-term needs as primary househo$d preparers+ $ong-term

caregivers+ emp$oyees and vo$unteers in disasters@

What organiationa$ or other .arriers $imit response to these needs+ under 'hat

circumstances+ and 'ith 'hat e**ects@

Ao' have 'omen historica$$y and in speci*ic conte,ts organied po$itica$$y across c$ass and

cu$tures around disaster issues@

1re 'omen %'hich 'omen@) at the ta.$e in the deve$opment o* disaster-resistant

communities@

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4. Gender iue 'ut !e e))ecti-e#* inte"rated into diater reearch$ %#annin"$ and

or"ani5ationa# %ractice.

Ehese o.servations suggest the need to *u$$y incorporate gender ana$ysis into disaster p$anning

and practice .y? materia$$y supporting a comprehensive gendered research agenda to identi*y in speci*ic

conte,ts the immediate needs and $ong-term interests o* disaster-vu$nera.$e 'omenB

generating se,-disaggregated data *or community vu$nera.i$ity and capacity assessmentsB

supporting action research pro2ects+ program eva$uations+ and case studies designed and

conducted 'ith at-risk 'omen in vu$nera.$e communitiesB

engaging 'omen *rom vu$nera.$e socia$ groups as *u$$ and eua$ partners in community-

.ased disaster p$anning and nonstructura$/ mitigation initiativesB

deve$oping gender and disaster materia$s *or use in cross-training representatives *rom

'omen/s organiations and disaster organiationsB

increasing a'areness a.out gender .ias in disaster practice+ e(g( through training+ p$anning

guide$ines+ recruitment and retention o* gender-a'are sta**+ and mechanisms *or pro*essiona$accounta.i$ity to gender issuesB

supporting regu$ar gender audits to identi*y *actors increasing and decreasing gender .ias in

the cu$ture+ po$icy+ and practice o* institutions and organiations 'ith disaster response

missions(

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and )elief+ o$s 7-3( O,*ord? O,*am(

#narson+ #$aine( 7888( io$ence against 'omen in disasters? a study o* domestic vio$ence

programs in the nited =tates and Canada( +iolence (gainst Women%H)? H!-H9;(

JJJJJJJJJJ( 788;( 4Ehrough Women/s #yes? 1 Gendered Research 1genda *or 6isaster=ocia$ =cience(5isasters !!%!)? 7H-7H3'

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#narson+ #$aine and Maureen Fordham( 7888( 4Lines that divide+ ties that .ind? race+ c$ass+

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#uropean =ocio$ogica$ 1ssociation meetings+ 1msterdam(

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Guha-=apir+ 6e.arati( 788H( 4Women in the Front Line(5 0#=CO Courier %Octo.er)? !H-!8(

Aossain+ Aameeda+ et a$( %eds)( 788!( Pp( -;" %Chapter 3) in.rom %risis to evelopment&

%oping $ith isasters in 4angladesh( 6haka? niversity Press Limited(

Ikeda+ eiko( 788( 4Gender 6i**erences in Auman Loss and u$nera.i$ity in 0atura$ 6isasters?

1 Case =tudy *rom :ang$adesh(5Indian 0ournal of -ender Studies! %!)? 7H7-783(

Internationa$ 6ecade *or 0atura$ 6isaster Reduction( 788( 4Women and Chi$dren? ey to

Prevention(5 S/1P isasters %!)(hnondker+ Aa.i.u$( 7889( 4Women and F$oods in :ang$adesh'3 International 0ournal of Mass

Emergencies and isasters7 %3)? !;7-!8!(

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Lentin+ Ronit %ed()( 788H( -ender and %atastrophe( Ned? London(

Morris+ Patricia( 788;( Weaving -ender in isaster and )efugee (ssistance ( 0e' ork?

Commission on the 1dvancement o* Women(Morro'+ :etty Aearn and #$aine #narson( 7889( 4Aurricane 1ndre' Ehrough Women/s #yes?

Issues and Recommendations(5International 0ournal of Mass Emergencies and isasters7

%7)? -!!(

Morro'+ :etty Aearn and :renda Phi$$ips %eds)( 7888( =pecia$ Issue on Women and 6isasters(

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