Women's Participation: a sine qua non of Disaster Risk Reduction

In today's world, there is no disagreement among the different international development agencies, civil society, and governments about the inalienable rights of women to get appropriate consideration in their development and adaptation policies and plans.  The question is how to operationally coordinate and effectively implement those.

The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) which resulted from the Kobe Conference on Disaster Reduction, 2005, includes the principal mandate in relation to gender equality and empowerment of women in the context of disaster risk reduction (DRR). In fact, it strongly advocates integration of a gender perspective in all policies, plans and decision making processes of risk assessment, early warning, training, information management, and in all activities related to DRR.

It is reassuring to see that relevant international organizations such as UNDP, UNEP, and WEDO recognized the necessity of joint collaboration on the topic of gender and climate change, and consequently set-up the Global Gender and Climate Change Alliance in 2007. Its primary goal is to ensure that climate change (which often causes disasters) policies, decision making and initiatives at all levels are gender responsive. Member States of the UN have also demonstrated political commitment to gender equality. There is no denying the fact that absence of empowerment of women and their limited access to information, knowledge and resources inevitably increase their disaster vulnerability and risk, and that of their families and community. In fact, mainstreaming gender perspective should be there in all national macro-economic and social development plans, particularly in all policies and programmes relating to DRR, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and environment. However, it would be unproductive if these are not properly and adequately integrated into the implementation mechanism of national governments and relevant organizations.

In many countries, the percentage of literate and educated women is much lower than their male counterparts. In some cultures and societies there are restrictions on movements and activities of women, and their access to jobs and livelihood pursuits are also limited. Corrective measures should be taken to ensure equal rights and opportunity for men and women in all spheres of life. Otherwise, it would not be possible for the women to play effective roles in family, social, and community activities. In the case of DRR, it should be noted that if the women are properly educated and trained, then the extent of loss in any natural disaster could be significantly reduced. 

In the Paris Agreement on climate change reached in December 2015, the long term warming limit of 1.5 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial level was included. Dr. Saleemul Huq, Director, International Centre for Climate Change and Development, Independent University, Bangladesh, in an article titled “1.5 to stay alive: UN's warming goal feels the heat” (Daily Star, October 1, 2016) has cautioned that implementation of this commendable agreement would be a very difficult task, but it can be achieved if ordinary people in every country “push their leaders to do the right thing”. If this ambitious target is achieved then the world would be saved from the biggest possible disaster. And, in this decisive endeavor, women, who are resourceful and capable – a far cry from the perception of being just weak and vulnerable – can and should play a significant role, thereby contributing to the success in the struggle for the survival of our planet.

The writer is Deputy Director, International Centre for Climate Change and Development, Independent University, Bangladesh.