Empowering women as actor citizens in disaster planning

It is important that women are enabled to be actor citizens in the planning process of disasters. Yet, because gender roles persist, women’s views are often side-lined in disaster planning. To this end, the UN has been encouraging “gender mainstreaming” across national policies and laws for many years and continues to do so with the Sendai Framework. This is a key way in which to counteract vulnerability and prevent or mitigate disaster impacts. Women do play an increasing role in disaster management, but in some parts of the world, such as Asia Pacific; “these roles are mostly invisible, rarely acknowledged and not included into formal systems”.

Note: See source document for full reference.

Cultural Factors: Gender roles, Rule of law, Norms/values

Hazards: Natural hazards, Man-made non-intentional hazards or emergency situations, Man-made intentional hazards

Disaster Phases: Prevention, Preparedness

Types of Actors Concerned: UN and other international organisations, European Civil Protection Mechanism, Government, Active citizens

Recommendations:

• Empower vulnerable groups (i.e. children, elderly, and people with disabilities) by including them in disaster management decision-making and actions