WUNRN
FAO Committee on World Food Security
- CFS
36th Session - Rome, October 2010
FOOD SECURITY IN PROTRACTED CRISES:
ISSUES & CHALLENGES
II Key Issues
Gender Issues in Protracted Crises
-The food security status of men and
women is affected very differently in both acute and protracted crisis
situations, most notably in three key areas:
*Through sexual exploitation and
gender-based violence
*Access to (or lack of) social
services such as healthcare and education
*Stress on livelihood strategies and
survival or coping mechanisms
In armed conflicts differences in
gender roles result in part from unequal access by men and women to assets,
economic opportunities, services, crisis aid and decision-making.
-Debates on food security in
humanitarian emergencies and protracted crises have largely ignored gender
issues. In many crises little is known about gender dynamics prior to the
crisis, limiting the basis for analysing both the short and long term impacts.
These knowledge gaps are further compounded by a dearth of gender-disaggregated
data on poverty and vulnerability in protracted crisis situations.
-To overcome the negligence of
gender issues in addressing food insecurity in protracted crises, there are
four key areas that should be addressed.
*A better analysis of the various
vulnerabilities and impacts generated by the crises.
*Increased programming on the ground
that is gender sensitive and seeks to restore, not only existing inequalities
but also to secure and build assets in ways that empower victims of crises (eg.
through safe and secure access to land, cash and other productive resources for
women and youth)
*Humanitarian responses that
deliberately ensure that institutions embrace a gender perspective in which the
needs and rights of both women and men are recognized
*Increased improvement of access to
health and education particularly for women, resulting in a long-term positive
effect on social and economic development in communities affected by protracted
crises.