As a follow-up to our last month article,
‘During Emergency/Medical Scenario, does gender play an important role?’, in
this article we try and share real-life examples how women have actually made a
difference in saving and reforming lives in India.
First we need to understand how the
socio-economic structure for a majority of women in India is different from
Rest of the world.
In India, many women are vulnerable since:
1.
Have less access to resources –
social networks and decision making.
2. Have no permanent place in
decision - making systems and they suffer
traditional, routine and gratuitous
gender -biased oppression.
3. Are primarily responsible for
domestic duties and thus do not have the liberty
of migrating to look for work.
4. Have low visibility in society
and attention to their needs is woefully
inadequate.
5.
Have less freedom and mobility
to look for alternative sources of income.
Thus, in case of a calamity, equal
representation of women in rescue teams allows the members to understand their
problems better and the victims to express themselves better.
The results of the same are there for us to
see:
Bhuj Gujrat Earthquake
2001: women’s groups
underwent training to take on their role to motivate householders, build
technical capacity, demonstrate collective arrangements, provide feedback, and
monitor reconstruction.
As result,
Ø 250,000
households were involved in earthquake-safe construction in
Gujarat.
Ø 4,000
women and families took loans;
Ø 1,200 women started businesses, and livelihoods
and assets were
stabilized. Communities organized for long-term development
Ø Today, more than 800 women’s groups work on
health, education, water, and sanitation in their communities.
In 1993 Latur
Maharashtra earthquake, they
contributed in repairing and strengthening of damaged houses
Women meths (work
site supervisors) were employed in some villages in western Rajasthan as part
of the drought relief project.
In many cases, such as in the village of Urmul Setu, where CARE was working,
initial opposition from male workers required the mediation of the concerned
NGO. In general, record maintenance was better organized where women were employed
and women workers felt much more comfortable discussing issues. Women meths
were also able to resolve disputes congenially. The decision to include women
meths has enabled women to enter a conventionally male domain and has
facilitated the growth of new women leaders.
