A Study on Women's Participation in Disaster Risk Reduction in Nepal: A Case Study of Training Women for Safer Homes (original) (raw)
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IAEME PUBLICATION, 2023
Finding women in the families and in the communities as managers in disaster risk reduction with the enhanced capacities and potentialities is the objective of this study. No doubt women have been considered as one of the most vulnerable stakeholders due to the social structure, culture and age old practices. Despite of their limitations and obstacles, women with their inner potentialities, experiences and acquired capacities contributed and participated wholeheartedly lessening vulnerabilities and risk in and through their participation in prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, rehabilitation and recovery activities. Women have proved themselves as disaster manager not only in their families but also in their communities in and through rescue operation and evacuation to their own children, elders and other dear ones and feed the family members and relatives and neighbors affected by the disasters. The study was carried out with the mixed methods of data collection like semi structured questionnaire for household survey, personal interview and interaction and focused group discussions. Instead of looking women as mere vulnerable stakeholders in the society, must include and involve them in planning, decision making and implementation of disaster cycle management as the innumerable studies have not only found out their weakness but their strength and power to reduce risk and vulnerabilities in risk and crisis management. The major finding and recommendation of women’s strength and opportunities will help the policy makers, planners and readers allow women to involve in the process of disaster cyclone management as men and other professional.
Advances in social science, education and humanities research, 2023
This study aims to strengthen women's capacity to reduce disaster risk by BPBD Pacitan Regency. This study refers to gender analysis used as a reference by policymakers in creating gender equality and justice, especially in disaster risk reduction. There are four indicators of gender analysis as the primary data in this study, namely: First, equality of physical and non-physical access; Second, active participation of women in disaster risk reduction; Third, women's participation in disaster policy formulation; Fourth, the benefits derived from the results of the policies that have been implemented. This study uses a qualitative research methodology with a case study approach. The results show that the strengthening of women's capacity in disaster risk reduction by BPBD Pacitan Regency has been implemented, but still has a record of improvements in its implementation, such as still not implementing equal access in disaster risk reduction and the lack of women's involvement in disaster risk reduction. The study offers a reference model to strengthen women's capacity building in disaster risk reduction in Pacitan Regency.
Role of women as risk communicators to enhance disaster resilience of Bandung, Indonesia
Natural Hazards, 2013
This study addresses the need for women risk communication and highlights the potential role of Women Welfare Associations (WWAs) of Bandung, Indonesia, as risk communicators. A risk communication framework is modeled for women's risk communication process. A set of indicators in social, institutional, and economic resilience activities (SIERAs), with a scope of 45 activities covering three different disaster periods, were developed to characterize the delivery process of risk information by women in WWAs through their activities at sub-district and ward levels. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey method using the risk communication SIERA approach. Women's leaders at wards were surveyed concerning their perceptions on these 45 scopes of SIERA, ongoing activities, and their risk information source and dissemination process. Correlation analysis was applied to determine the relationship between the variables such as periods of disaster, types of activities (social, institutional, economic), and attributing factors (location, population, and education institution) in finding variations in risk communication activity that functions for women and communities. Five risk communication processes of WWAs are identified and implemented that work for women in Bandung. When their perceptions and ongoing activities are compared, activities such as dissemination of disaster risk information, conveying early warnings to their peers, and involvement of the local government have been confirmed to match the risk communication plans and implementation of WWAs. These indicate that WWAs' activities in Bandung implement a certain degree of risk communication that is embedded in their activities. The results confirm that women through their social networks can become active agents of change and thus act beyond their usual domestic roles and responsibilities in order to contribute to the overall enhancement of community resilience.
The aim of the study is to explore the gender issues in disaster and to understand the relationships between vulnerability, preparedness and capacity following a qualitative method on the basis of secondary sources. The study notes that the women living in coastal areas are facing more difficulties due to the complexity of atmosphere where their activities are not properly recognized in disaster planning and management. However, the study showed that women, particularly belong to the poor families are primarily responsible for their domestic roles due to culturally dominated labour division. The study also recommended that women should be involved in emergency planning and disaster management process through ensuring their active participation. The inclusion of greater number of women in the emergency management profession could help in the long term to address disaster risks. Since, the underlying cultural, social, and economic patterns that lead to a low socio-economic status of women and thereby generate their specific vulnerability to disasters. Though, such initiatives have not addressed like their entire adverse impact on socioeconomic status in recent literature, the present study is an initiative to address the women’s involvement in preparedness and capacity building at the community level as well as household level which the vulnerable women are striving with the frequent disasters to sustain in the planet.
Disaster preparedness amongst women, the invisible force of resilience: A study from Delhi, India
Context: Women participation in disaster risk reduction has been stressed as they are the 'invisible force of resilience'. A sizeable number of the women in Delhi are homemakers. Objective: To study disaster preparedness amongst the women who are homemakers in a part of Delhi, India. Study Design: Cross‑sectional community‑based study. Setting: Four residential areas in east Delhi. Participants: Total 754 homemakers aged 18 years and above. Results: Amongst the women, 22.7% were illiterate while 19.7% had done college graduation or higher studies. The level of concern amongst them was highest for earthquake, fire and swine flu. Just 2.7% had the confidence that their household is well‑prepared for a disaster situation. The top reasons for not being prepared were 'nothing can be done during a disaster', 'disasters are God's will' and 'will prepare only after seeing a disaster'. Only 15.1% had a family member trained in what to do in case of a disaster. Conclusion: The current analysis revealed several gaps in the women's preparedness. The adoption of positive behaviour by homemakers can directly impact the well‑being of their family and their community.
Are Women Both Risk And Resource In Disaster Management?"
From a global perspective, the universality of gender-related societal issues is particularly significant. Although gender inequality is considered a sociological problem, the large number of female victims in disasters warrants an assessment of disaster management sciences. In this article, related concepts are discussed based on their relevance sociologically and in disaster management to develop a common terminology and examine this complex topic, which is rooted in different social profiles and anthropological heterogeneity throughout the world. A brief history is discussed, and significant examples are provided from different disasters in Turkey to illustrate why a woman-oriented approach should be adopted when evaluating concepts of gender inequality. Observations of disasters have shown that it is important to apply international standards (humanitarian charter and minimum disaster response standards), especially OPEN ACCESS Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12 5759 during periods of response and rehabilitation. Relevant factors related to gender should be included in these standards, such as women's health and hygiene, which will be discussed in more detail. A woman-based approach is designed in relation to two aspects: risks and resources. Thus, gender-sensitive methods of mitigating and preventing disasters are provided. The main purpose of the article is to contribute to the development of a universal culture that prioritizes gender in disaster management.
Gender in Disaster Settings: Towards Sustainable Gender-Sensitive Disaster Risk Reduction
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020 W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Gender Equality, Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, 2020
This paper demonstrates the many ways in which the gendered nature of social exclusion and resulting vulnerabilities amplify disaster risks of women, gender minorities, and girl children in the South Asian context with supporting literature from the global context. However, it is incorrect to frame the experiences of these identities in a unidimensional manner invoking a woe begotten tale of poverty, oppression, and victimhood. It is necessary to recognize the endogenous capacities (social networks, indigenous knowledge, traditional architecture, etc.) and identify displays of their agency. Yet, the recognition of explicit patterns of exclusion that intensify disaster risks is necessary to implement sustainable gender-sensitive disaster risk reduction mechanisms.
MAINSTREAMING GENDER IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT
Challenges and opportunities. The risk of natural disasters in India is extremely high. Because of its sub-continental characteristics and geography, the country is exposed to drought, flood, cyclone, earthquake, and landslides. Technological hazards also contribute to disaster risk in India. These hazards threaten millions of lives and can cause large-scale financial, infrastructure, crop, and productivity losses that seriously set back India's overall development efforts. Disasters and related risks and vulnerabilities have social as well as physical dimensions. Gender roles and relations shape the capacity of women and men to respond to disaster. The Indian government has embraced the new paradigm for disaster management as part of development and it plans to mainstream prevention, preparation and mitigation into all sectors. USAID/India's strategic objective for disaster management support (DMS) is one of the few, if not the only, U.S. bilateral agreements of its kind, particularly given its emphasis on vulnerable groups, including women.
In the Province of Batangas, Municipality of San Juan, Batangas is regarded to be vulnerable to disaster. It has coastal, upland and populated lowland geographical areas. In the fortuitous event of catastrophe, women are deemed the frailest among the marginalized sectors. While the Magna Carta of Women gives women the right to protection and security in terms of disasters, specialized needs of women may be overlooked, gender-blind and insensitive to the development actions. This study assesses the participation of women to disaster preparedness and response in the Municipality of San Juan. Research surveys states that in the event of fire, traumatic experiences of people affected therein got the highest weighted mean of 3.3640. In terms of flood, the highest weighted mean is 3.4740, where flood is caused by the large amounts of rainwater, which cannot be absorbed in to the ground, drainages and canals. Relative to typhoon, the highest weighted mean is 3.4260, an intense circulation of the weather system causes typhoon over tropical seas and oceans accompanied with very strong winds, heavy rains and large ocean waves. About landslide, it is triggered by other natural hazards such as prolonged, heavy rainfall, and typhoon or by other sources of water, which increases the water content of the slope materials and got the highest weighted mean of 3.4200. Regarding earthquake, the highest weighted mean is 3.370, where earthquake is caused by sudden slippage of rock masses below or at the surface of the earth. In terms of participation in disaster preparedness and response, the lowest weighted mean is 2.3380, it is where women slightly or sometimes participate in forming and mobilizing women’s group in the local government units during disaster to protect and meet the necessary needs of women. Based on findings, the extent of participation in disaster preparedness and response practices in the Municipality of San Juan, Batangas is significant and highly important on the assessment of the respondents regarding disasters and their empowerment is necessary in developing a disaster resilient community. Thus, this study serves as basis for the determination in policy-decision making process necessary to address and integrate the specialized needs of women in the Municipality of San Juan, Batangas relative to participation to disaster preparedness and response.