WUNRN
Authors: A. Giuliani (ed); R. Wenger
(ed); S. Wymann von Dach (ed)
Publisher: InfoResources, 2009
This paper highlights gender as a very important factor in determining vulnerability in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). The degree of vulnerability to disaster is determined by social variables like gender, age, health status, ethnicity, religion and socio-economic status and understanding these is necessary to identify the underlying causes of disasters and thus try to prevent them.
In most countries, women are
particularly at risk from disasters. Subsequently, understanding why women are
often vulnerable and taking appropriate steps can make a huge difference on
impact.
The paper also looks at DRR in relation to livelihoods. People, especially in
developing countries are particularly vulnerable to disasters as they often
live in high-risk areas, have lower coping capacities, and have no form of
insurance or other safety nets. Furthermore, they are heavily dependent on
climate-sensitive primary industries like agriculture and fishing. A disaster
can eradicate livelihoods or years of local development efforts in a very short
time.
The paper explores issues such as coping with disasters, resisting
disasters, recovering from disasters, protective measures to save lives and
livelihoods, natural assets: land tenure and droughts, and addressing DRR
through a livelihood approach.
The paper gives the following observations about engendered DRR and
livelihoods:
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