Physical and biological are the main reasons why women fall victim to natural disasters and suffer a lot of damage. Another reason is that the main responsibility is to protect and care for the family.
Like last year, monsoon is about to enter this year. It is said that natural calamities do not come with a bang. It comes suddenly and takes everything away with the Jiuzyan. However, many risks and damages are caused to women. Why does this happen? Because women are biologically, socially, economically and materially weaker.
Most are busy with household chores and childcare. They do not know or cannot run, swim and run away from disaster like men. This is why women are more affected by natural disasters. Among the women, there are many women who are at risk of disasters, including those who are pregnant and giving birth. When the body is weak, they get into trouble even if they don't know the information about the disaster, how to avoid it and their role during the disaster.
In the year 2072, more than half of those who lost their lives in the Barpak earthquake of Gorkha were women. In the earthquake in Jajarkot, women suffered a lot of damage. The main reason why women are exposed to natural disasters and suffer a lot of damage is physical and biological. Another reason why many women fall victim to disasters is that the main responsibility is family protection and care. As many women work inside the home
There is a possibility of being stuck at home even during a disaster. Despite the lack of information about disasters, women are exposed to many natural disasters. When there is less access to information, most of the information about natural disasters coming from mobile phones, television, radio etc. comes through men. Even if you know the information, it takes time to know where the safe place is. Women are not prioritized even in relief and rescue. This also causes more damage to women.
Gender discrimination and traditional thinking have further bound women. Women are not being taught about preparedness and rescue because of the mentality that women are weak. It is considered only as an aid in disaster management. Women's participation, whether in disaster policy or in rescue teams, is low. Women often do not have leadership roles. Therefore, in some cases of natural disasters, women's needs are not heard.
Women seem to be at risk due to lack of security and violence after natural disasters. In post-disaster shelters, there is a problem of violence due to lack of safe living and sleeping places and toilets. There is also a problem when sanitary pads are not available during menstruation.
Post-disaster temporary camps are at high risk of sexual violence, extortion, and human trafficking. Many women are financially dependent. This is why the decision making ability is weak. Men can immediately engage in alternative skills after losing their home assets after a disaster, but women cannot. This means that women are more vulnerable even after the disaster. To avoid
disaster, first of all, the person should try to be safe. How to prepare before a disaster, how to be safe in the event of a disaster, how a disaster can occur, and what to do at that time should be known. It is important to spread awareness about this to women. It is necessary to make such structures women-friendly to reduce the risk. Disasters affect not only during the disaster, but also for many years afterwards. Not only the individual, but also the state is damaged. Therefore, disasters and women's issues should not be made only for women. As a matter of state, the government should take it sensitively.
The high incidence and damage of women in natural disasters is also a result of structural inequality and gender discrimination. In order to reduce women's risk and damage in disasters, women should be actively involved in natural disaster preparedness. A gender-sensitive preparedness, rescue and relief policy should be formulated. Women friendly information system should be expanded.
shelters should be gender-sensitive and women-friendly. Women's leadership should be prioritized even in times of crisis. There is a need to increase investment in preparedness to prevent damage from natural disasters. For that, women-friendly awareness flow and management should be worked on. For structural, social and cultural reasons women have to bear more risk and damage.
Women's access to all disaster preparedness and post-disaster resources and information should be increased. Women should be included in the practical knowledge of disasters. This will not only prevent the loss and risk of women in natural disasters, but also reduce the incidence of disasters in the community.
