Integrating Gender in Disaster Management in Small Island Developing States: A Guide
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Download document The Caribbean and the Pacific share common characteristics of island regions — small land mass, limited economies of scale, small populations, remoteness and inaccessibility, and lack of economic diversification — and represent a diversity of languages, cultures and histories. Both regions are highly vulnerable to natural disasters; this vulnerability is now greater due to an increase in extreme weather events such as drought, heavy rains, hurricanes and sea level warming and rise due to climate change and human activity on the ecosystem.
Integrating gender into disaster risk management in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is supported by the following considerations, as outlined in the Hyogo Framework for Action:
A gender perspective should be integrated into all disaster risk management policies, plans and decision-making processes, including those related to risk assessment, early warning, information management, and education and training;
Disaster-prone developing countries, especially least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states, warrant particular attention in view of their higher vulnerability and risk levels, which often greatly exceed their capacity to respond to and recover from disasters.
This guide outlines the vulnerability of SIDS in the Pacific and the Caribbean and explains how gender roles and responsibilities result in differential exposure and impact of disasters. Putting on a “gender lens” means analysing what men and women do in their daily lives, looking at how they interact and what specific needs arise out of this. By understanding gender the disaster manager will be able to:
save lives by better targeting of beneficiaries
ensure the effective and efficient distribution and use of resources in the planning and implementation of all phases of disaster risk reduction
empower women and men to assess risks and undertake actions
enable participation of both men and women in every phase of the project and programme cycle in the area of disaster risk management.