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Date Added to
Site: 13th January 2005 |
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Short Summary
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| Title |
Gender Mainstreaming in Disaster Reduction |
| Author |
Briceno, S. (panel presentation) |
| Publication
Date |
March 2002 |
| Publisher |
Secretariat of the International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction UN/ISDR |
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Short Summary |
Development is increasingly being seen as affected
by natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, droughts, floods
and storms. This paper outlines the main ways in which disasters impact
differently on women and men and how these impacts vary according
to context. Gender inequality is a cause of vulnerability due to factors
such as cultural values and unequal work burdens. For example, women
may be less able to find employment opportunities or to continue their
education following natural disasters and may suffer disproportionately
from the loss of family support networks and the increase in female
headed households. Women need to be seen as agents of change. In particular
their role in the subsistence economy needs to be acknowledged as
productive and not simply hidden 'domestic' labour. Women's energy
in improving their communities in the aftermath of disasters can give
them self confidence and empowerment, and they may also benefit from
opportunities for education and training if male family members have
died or migrated following the disaster. Recommendations include:
conducting good quality and context specific gender analysis; collection
of sex-disaggregated data and gender-sensitive education in order
to increase public awareness; legislation and regulation to demonstrate
and ensure commitment from public authorities; improved networking
and partnerships between different sectors; and conduct research which
goes beyond looking at the gendered impacts of disasters to better
understand how gender relates to increased risk. |
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