Unique contributions of women in emergency management

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.