UN Photo/Milton Grant

Keywords: Technology (2 hits),

Natural disaster preparedness a climate change adaptation

Natural disasters don?t discriminate, but people do. Existing socio-economic conditions can lead to different outcomes in natural disasters even for demographically similar communities, but the most vulnerable groups suffer more than others. Natural disasters reinforce, perpetuate and increase gender inequality, making bad situations worse for women. Therefore in disaster preparedness it is imperative to promote a culture of participatory planning and implementation of disaster risk reduction initiatives. This can build local and national government and civil society partnerships and cooperation in support of local initiatives to dramatically reduce the costs of risk reduction, ensure local acceptance and build social capital.

Women and men experience different vulnerabilities and cope with natural disasters differently; therefore, an increase in the magnitude and frequency of natural disasters will have different implications for men and women. Therefore gender mainstreaming is essential to be considered in mitigation and adaptation policies, strategies and programs. For example, as women?s asset determine how they respond to climate change impacts it is necessary to provide them with education , resources and Technology , promote their participating in decision making and others as fundamental issues that will enhance their livelihoods in mitigation and adaptation.

The effects of natural disaster, emergencies and climate change are multifaceted: social, political, and economic as well as environmental . While women are generally more vulnerable but not helpless they exhibit surprising resilience and are key agents of environmental transformation. Therefore there is a need to elaborate responses not imposed from above, but modeled on needs, aspirations, knowledge and capabilities of women and men that are then actively involved as crucial partners in Climate Change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

There are limitations to what household and community action can do to reduce disaster risk without government support, or without a broader infrastructure and service framework into which community provision can integrate. Gender considerations should be introduced in key critical issues on the climate change agenda, namely: mitigation, the Clean Development Mechanism, adaptation and capacity building. Efforts should be directed towards a wider application of a gendered approach even in other strategic sectors, including, for instance, Technology transfer and vulnerability studies.

Innovative approaches and tools that exist and develop by several CSO should be applied creatively alt local governments using community based approaches- However, they need scaling up with support from national governments.. Improved local governance is usually built on partnership between competent and accountable local government and an active civil society that can articulate needs and priorities. Capacity building and t raining stakeholders on gender issues and link it to Natural disaster preparedness is crucial to have women voices heard, a necessary conditions for risk reduction.

To address a gender perspective in DRR and in line with international legal instruments and agreements, we as CSO request that Governments should :

? Implement a gender analysis and gender mainstreaming in coordination with all Ministries responsible for disaster risk reduction, climate change, poverty reduction and women/gender machineries;

? Mainstream gender into national policies, strategies and plans and implement a gender approach in planning and programs;

? Ensure women and men?s equal access to natural hazard early warning systems;

? Develop and produce statistics desegregated by sex on impact of disasters, carry out gender-sensitive vulnerability, risk and capacity assessments and develop gendersensitive indicators to monitor and measure progress;

? Increase awareness of the public and media on the gender sensitive vulnerabilities and capacities in disasters and gender specific needs and concerns in disaster risk reduction and management;

? Organize and develop research on cost-benefit and efficiency of gendersensitive policies and programs in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and poverty reduction;

? Link DRR and climate change adaptation from a gender perspective;

? Support gender-sensitive financial risk-sharing mechanisms, including risk insurance and reinsurance;

? Improve disaster preparedness, response and contingency planning from a gender perspective and make them respond to the specific needs and concerns of men and women;

? Increase women?s participation in disaster relief coordination and secure equal access to disaster relief assistance between men and women;

? Build and enhance the capacities of professional communities and pertinent national institutions to enable gender mainstreaming into all development sectors.

. guarantee trainings with gender perspective for preparedness and readiness with respect to risk management, mitigation and adaptation, including planning and resource management for programs and projects to this effect.

. take steps to guarantee early and timely alert processes for the prevention and mitigation of risks..