Maureen Fordham

Northumbria University,

Disaster and Development Centre

and

Gender and Disaster Network

Building Partnerships for Gendering Disaster Risk Reduction

Context Disasters affect men and women differently due to gender-specific

vulnerabilities and risks to the impact of disasters

Gender identities, attitudes and expectations are unfavourable to women in our societies, leading to gender inequality

A gender perspective is largely excluded from disaster risk reduction policies and programmes

To reduce vulnerabilities and risks to disasters effectively requires that policy and decision makers understand gender relations in disaster risk reduction

ISDR SYSTEM

Includes Governments, civil society,

international and regional organizations

ISDR secretariat

Integrate gender into disaster risk reduction Building resilient

societies to disasters

Hyogo Framework for Action

The Hyogo Framework for Action

« A gender perspective should be integrated into all disaster risk management policies, plans and decision-making process… »

Kobe, 2005

Building Partnerships for Gendering Disaster Risk Reduction

Goal

Promote

gender equality

into social, cultural and economic development

with an emphasis on Disaster Risk Reduction

Objectives

…for gender professionals and different groups of stakeholders to share information, knowledge and experience in gender mainstreaming in DRR

…for more visibility of their role and contribution in the DRR process at all levels

…between the gender expert group and other stakeholders, including national platforms, NGOs, the Media, private sectors and donors

…by national authorities and NGOs in developing gender-sensitive and gender balanced DRR policies and programmes

…on Gender and DRR, user-friendly checklists and training materials for mainstreaming gender into DRR and vice versa

To Provide a Platform

To increase women’s voice

To facilitate dialogue

To encourage active roles

To develop policy guidelines

Strategy

I. Taking stock of existing dynamics and challenges in gender and DRR - as a starting point.

II. Building ownership and leadership of experts, institutions or organizations in building the proposed partnership

III. Gaining greater support from and building wider partnership with different groups of stakeholders

IV.Establishing an “Advisory Group of Experts” as an initial “driving force”

V. Advocating gender relations and gender risk analysis in DRR

VI.Mobilizing resources necessary for supporting the initiative

Structure

I. An Advisory Group of Experts

II. Regional coordinators (based on existing institutions in the regions)

III.Consultation in process..

MechanismsUN/ISDR secretariat will:

I. Establish a gender focal point to support the development of the initiative

II. Facilitate direct dialogue between the Advisory Group and other stakeholders within the ISDR system

III. Facilitate the development of an umbrella programme on “mainstreaming gender into DRR”

Advisory Group:

I. Provide leadership in developing the global partnership

II. Advocate the urgent needs for gender mainstreaming in DRR at the Global Platform and other international Conferences

III. Guide and support policy development and user-friendly tools to facilitate the gender mainstreaming initiatives

Criteria for partnership

I. Demonstrating at least a general understanding of DRR, ISDR and Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)

II. Demonstrating commitment to promote gender concerns and needs into DRR

III. Advocating DRR and promoting gender-sensitive policies and programmes related to DRR

IV.Providing good practices and lessons learnt

V. Demonstrating commitment to establishing and developing the proposed “Partnerships for Gendering Partnerships for Gendering Disaster Risk Reduction”Disaster Risk Reduction”

Expectations

Global Partnership for Gendering DRR

Consensus on the need to build it

Regional consultations and ownership

Roles and responsibilities in leading the process of the global partnership

Way forwardFacilitation of policy development to guide gender mainstreaming in DRR and gendering existing policies

« Full and active participation of men and women to reduce disaster risk is essential for achieving disaster resilient households, communities and nations »

UN/ISDR

How to get involved

Please contact: Ana Cristina ThorlundUN/ISDR Liaison Officer for Gender Issuesthorlund@un.org Tel +4122 9178917Fax +41229178983

Additional Information related to this initiative:

www.unisdr.org/gender

Thank you