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  • Q.7. “Disasters affect girls and women in different ways that they affect boys and men.” Do you agree? Why are responses often gender-blind? How do you ensure gender equality in disaster risk reduction in particular?

    • 14,Oct 2024
    • Posted By : SPM IAS Academy
    • 0 Comments
    • APSC2023
    • GS3

    Disasters impact all individuals, but their effects are often experienced differently by various groups, especially girls and women compared to boys and men. These gendered differences arise due to pre-existing social, economic, and cultural inequalities. While disaster responses aim to address the immediate needs of affected populations, they are often gender-blind, failing to account for these differing vulnerabilities. Ensuring gender equality in disaster risk reduction (DRR) is crucial for equitable and effective recovery and resilience building.

    Gendered Impact of Disasters

    1. Disproportionate Vulnerability: Women and girls often face greater risks during disasters due to societal roles, reduced mobility, and caregiving responsibilities. For instance, during floods or cyclones, women in many cultures stay behind to care for children or elderly family members, increasing their exposure to danger. Studies by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) indicate that women are 14 times more likely to die in disasters than men, particularly in regions with gender inequality.
    2. Economic Inequality: Women are more likely to be involved in informal sectors such as agriculture or small-scale trades, which are severely affected by disasters. In India, around 80% of rural women are engaged in agricultural labor, and the loss of crops or livestock due to floods or droughts impacts them directly, pushing them into deeper poverty. Additionally, gender wage gaps make it harder for women to recover financially post-disaster.
    3. Health and Safety Concerns: Disasters can exacerbate health challenges for women. For instance, access to reproductive health services, sanitation, and menstrual hygiene products is often disrupted. Reports from UN Women show that instances of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, tend to rise during crises as social protection mechanisms weaken.
    4. Loss of Education for Girls: Disasters often lead to school closures or increased household responsibilities for girls, particularly in rural areas. This increases dropout rates, affecting girls’ long-term education and economic prospects. Post-disaster, families might prioritize boys’ education due to limited resources, perpetuating gender inequality.

    Why Disaster Responses are Often Gender-Blind

    1. Lack of Gender-Disaggregated Data: Many disaster management frameworks fail to collect gender-specific data, leading to uniform responses that overlook the distinct needs of women and girls. The absence of such data makes it challenging to design targeted interventions that address specific vulnerabilities faced by women.
    2. Male-Dominated Decision-Making: Disaster planning and response are often led by male-dominated institutions, both at local and national levels. Without sufficient representation of women in decision-making processes, the needs of women and girls are underrepresented or ignored. As a result, disaster relief services—such as shelter, sanitation, and food distribution—tend to be designed without considering gender-specific requirements.
    3. Cultural Norms and Stereotypes: Gender norms and stereotypes often influence the way communities perceive and respond to disasters. Women are traditionally seen as caregivers and not decision-makers, limiting their participation in disaster risk planning and management. This reinforces a cycle of gender-blind policies that fail to address the unique risks faced by women.
    4. Focus on Immediate Recovery: Disaster responses tend to focus on immediate recovery and overlook long-term resilience building, including addressing gender inequality. As a result, interventions are usually designed for general populations without considering the structural inequalities that heighten the impact on women.

    Ensuring Gender Equality in Disaster Risk Reduction

    1. Gender-Sensitive Data Collection: Gathering gender-disaggregated data is critical for understanding how disasters impact men and women differently. This data can inform policies and interventions that specifically address the needs of women and girls. It also helps in identifying vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, single mothers, or female-headed households, ensuring that relief efforts are inclusive.
    2. Inclusion of Women in Decision-Making: Ensuring women’s participation at all levels of disaster management—from planning to response—can lead to more inclusive policies. Initiatives like the UN Women’s Women’s Resilience to Disasters (WRD) emphasize building leadership roles for women in disaster risk management. Including women in local disaster committees ensures that their voices are heard, and gender-specific needs are addressed.
    3. Gender-Responsive Infrastructure: Developing infrastructure that accounts for gender-specific needs can mitigate the adverse effects of disasters on women. For instance, providing separate and secure sanitation facilities in relief camps can prevent gender-based violence and address hygiene needs. Safe shelters that prioritize women’s safety and health also contribute to more effective recovery efforts.
    4. Capacity Building and Awareness: Building the capacity of women and girls through disaster preparedness training can significantly reduce their vulnerability. Programs that educate women on disaster response, resource management, and livelihood diversification help create resilience. In countries like Bangladesh, where women-led disaster response teams have been set up, there has been a marked improvement in disaster preparedness and recovery for communities.
    5. Access to Financial and Technological Resources: Women should have greater access to financial services, insurance, and technologies that enhance disaster resilience. Initiatives like microinsurance for women farmers or mobile banking post-disaster recovery programs ensure that women are not left behind in rebuilding efforts.

    Disasters affect women and girls in ways that are distinct from their impact on men and boys, due to pre-existing social, economic, and cultural inequalities. Disaster responses are often gender-blind due to a lack of gender-sensitive data, male-dominated decision-making, and a focus on short-term recovery. To ensure gender equality in disaster risk reduction, it is essential to adopt gender-responsive planning, ensure women’s participation in decision-making, and implement policies that address the specific needs of women. This will not only enhance disaster resilience but also contribute to broader goals of gender equity and sustainable development.

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