Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

Dr Sithabiso Gandure, The Wahenga Institute

Multiparty Women’s Caucus Capacity Development WorkshopGender and Climate Change

Cape Town, 19 October 2011

Outline of PresentationOutline of Presentation

• Disasters (Incidences and trends)– Global– South Africa

• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate change (CC) and Gender – What are the linkages?

• Impacts of Disasters particularly from CC

• Interventions and responses– Adopting a Gender Approach to CC

and DRR– National Platforms for DRR

• Concluding remarks

Malawi drought February 2002 Malawi drought February 2002 500500 people killed people killed

India drought July 2002India drought July 2002

South Africa drought January South Africa drought January 20042004

Haiti earthquake January 2010Haiti earthquake January 2010

Natural Disasters: Global incidences & trendsNatural Disasters: Global incidences & trends

Japan tsunami March 2011Japan tsunami March 2011

300,000,000300,000,000 people affectedpeople affected

15, 000, 000 15, 000, 000 people affectedpeople affected

222,570222,570 people people killedkilled

28,050 people 28,050 people killedkilled

Worst drought inWorst drought in Somalia since Somalia since 1991/92 -1991/92 - 3.7 million 3.7 million

people in crisispeople in crisis

Trends of World Natural Disasters (1975-2009)Trends of World Natural Disasters (1975-2009)

EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database, www.em-dat.net

Disaster occurrence, 5-year period (1975-2009Disaster occurrence, 5-year period (1975-2009))

EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database, www.em-dat.net

Impacts of natural disasters by region (2009)Impacts of natural disasters by region (2009)

EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database, www.em-dat.net

What is the outlook for South Africa?What is the outlook for South Africa?

South Africa can expect more natural disasters – 26 Sept 2011 (Long Term Mitigation Study (LTMS)

KZN Hard Hit by Floods (Jan 7 2011)

Limpopo families count losses after storm (Dec 18 2010)

The Government should not negotiate for South Africans but with them.......The voices of the poor, underdeveloped, women, youth must be heard (Minister Edna Molelwa, Water & Environmental Affairs)

Natural Disasters in South Africa (1992 to 2011)

Source: "EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Databasewww.em-dat.net - Université Catholique de Louvain - Brussels - Belgium"

What is Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)?

‘Disaster risk reduction’ describes policies and practices to minimise (with a view to longer-term prevention) disaster losses. These involve interventions in:

Mitigation: reducing the frequency, scale, intensity and impact of hazards.

Preparedness: strengthening capacity of communities to respond to & recover from hazards, & of government, implementing partners to provide effective response.

Advocacy: favourably influencing the social, political, economic and environmental issues that contribute to the causes and magnitude of impact of hazards.

A disaster results when a hazard impacts on a vulnerable exposed and ill prepared community.

Weather related hazards are becoming more frequent due to climate change killing more people overtime and costing more.

According to IPCC reports, one of the anticipated effects of climate change is the increase in both frequency and intensity intensity of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts.

A natural hazard does not in itself cause a disaster.......

The intensity and scale of a hazard and the vulnerability of individuals and communities determines the magnitude of impact

The degree of vulnerability is defined by: social variables such as gender, age, health status,

economic status, ethnicity etc. Existing socio-economic and political conditions mean

that disasters can lead to different outcomesResearch reveals that disasters reinforce, perpetuate and

increase gender inequality.

What determines level of impact and vulnerabilityWhat determines level of impact and vulnerability?

• Successful DRR must occur before a disaster strikes

• Need to shift focus away from response to disaster prevention and preparedness activities

• Disasters constrain national efforts to mitigating the impacts of CC due to• Limitations in Early Warning Systems,• Limitations in institutional capacities in

dealing with and mitigating disasters

• Hence, in general DRR tends to be more reactive

Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change, Gender

• DRR and CC adaptation are cross-cutting development issues

• Share the same goals: reduce vulnerability, increase resilience and achieve sustainable development

• Need to address root causes of vulnerability that include human, economic, social, environmental and physical factors in a gender sensitive way

The rationale for gender concerns

Gender equality is a generic principle across all developmental areas including CC and DRR.

The rationale for gender equality has at least three dimensions: First, it is a rights issue and the principle is enshrined in

international and regional protocols and national policies. Second, it is an economic & environmental issue in that gender

inequality undermines development potential. Third, it is a social issue in that women perform a vital and

unique role in household and community structures which is under-recognized and under-valued.

The rationale for gender concernsEffectively mainstreaming gender in DRR and CC like in other

sectors faces significant challenges because it requires shifting cultural norms, of an absence of entitlement legislation and a reluctance to enforce it

where it does exist or monitor implementationof the prevailing gender balance within national executives and

legislatives.

The net result, is that international, regional & national policies have not been translated into tangible public actions.

Examples of Gendered Impacts of CC related natural Examples of Gendered Impacts of CC related natural disastersdisasters

Bangladesh cyclone & flood of 1991,

Among women aged 20-44, the death rate was 71 per 1000, compared to 15 per 1000 for men

Warning information transmitted between men in public spaces, but rarely to the family

Women were not allowed to leave the houses without a male relative

Women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men during disasters

IUCN/WEDO, 2007 report

Examples of Gendered Impacts of CC related Examples of Gendered Impacts of CC related natural disastersnatural disasters

Research by Davies et al, 2005

Gender inequalities exacerbated in the aftermath of disasters. Increase in workload may force many girls to drop out of school

Women and girls are more likely to become victims of domestic and sexual violence after a disaster particularly when families have been displaced and are living in overcrowded emergency or transitional housing where they lack privacy

Why the gender differences?An analysis of 141 countries showed that gender differences in

deaths from natural disasters are directly linked to women’s economic and social rights.

When women’s rights are not protected, more women than men will die from disasters.

The study also found the opposite to be true: in societies where women and men enjoy equal rights, disasters kill the same number of women and men

(London School of Economics)

DRR as a mitigation strategy against DRR as a mitigation strategy against climate changeclimate change

• Making gender-sensitive DRR a tool for climate change adaptation in-order to enhance resilience to disasters and climate change

• The existing methods and tools of disaster risk reduction are useful for adaptation to climate change

– Risk and vulnerability assessments approaches (community involvement )

– Early warning– Hyogo Framework for Action– Guidelines on national platforms for disaster risk

reduction Community involvement in risk assessment

Tackling DRR

The cornerstone of DRR: The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters, adopted by 168 Governments in January 2005: ensures that disaster risk reduction is a national and a local priority.

SADC Disaster Risk Reduction Strategic Plan (2006-2010)

South Africa Disaster Management Act 57,2002 –Set the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC)

Role of National DRR platforms Role of National DRR platforms

A national platform for DRR is a mechanism to address disaster risk reduction issues through a coordinated, participatory and interactive process.

It comprises representatives from major line ministries, UN Agencies, civil society organisations including NGOs, the private sector and academic institutions

South Africa has the National Disaster Management Advisory Forum (NDMAF) that meets every quarter, chaired by the head of NDMC

Adopting a Gender Sensitive Approach to CC and DDRAdopting a Gender Sensitive Approach to CC and DDR

• The Gender Approach should be integrated in the entire programming process.

• Disaggregate all data by gender to allow for gender sensitive strategies.

• Gender Analysis • Preparation & prevention: both men and women should be involved in

various aspects such as emergency plans, capacity training etc• Response: psycho-social counseling & support to men and women should

be provided per specific needs• Recovery: interventions should address the needs of both men and women

Concluding remarksConcluding remarksGender equality in DRR & CC

does not mean addressing women’s issues – it means addressing concerns of both men and women

However, gender inequality is a root cause of women’s vulnerability to disasters & CC.

Gender shapes vulnerability to as well as capacity to cope with disasters.

Women are active and are in the fore front in terms of adaption to CC although often regarded as helpless victims.

Thank youThank you