Disaster Prevention and Disaster Mitigation and Water

Within the above-described mindset, gender mainstreaming is virtually impossible. As a first step, it needs to be recognised that disasters, vulnerability, and coping capacity are closely linked and that disaster mitigation needs to start at the lowest affected levels. This has been my first objective during the workshop and this has been achieved to some extent. The need for gender sensitive impact assessments and approaches has been stressed, however, these issues were merely accepted, as it considered to political incorrect to argue against it.

Disaster Prevention and Disaster Mitigation and Water

Asia-Pacific Regional Consultation Workshop - Dhaka, 22 – 26 September

General Impression:

The workshop was strongly influenced by civil engineers from Bangladesh who have a narrow view on disasters:

They see a disaster as something that is caused by nature (for instance too much or too little rain). Hence, they do not recognise that whether hazard turn into a disaster depends on your vulnerability and coping capacity.
Consequently, disaster mitigation is limited to the construction of structures such as dykes and/or regional co-operation to improve early warning systems.
A lot of emphasis is put on regional collaboration with the neighbouring countries, community based action is virtually neglected.

Secondly, the facilitator of the workshop is clearly a subject expert but not a good facilitator who stimulates the exchange of ideas and the discussion. Moreover, he gave the impression of having a hidden agenda. The second day of the workshop was saved by the chairwoman took over the role of facilitator.

Gender and Disaster Mitigation:

It needs to be stressed that ADB’s approach to floods (from flood control to flood management) creates a lot of opportunities for participative approaches and gender mainstreaming. Secondly, it needs to be mentioned that one of the ADB representatives showed that he was very sensitive towards the way women are affected by disasters and disaster mitigation measures.

On a more personal note, I would like to add that I was shocked by the attitude of some of the participants. It made me realise that I am working in gender sensitive environment. It made me also respect the people, women and men, who have taken up this fight and fighting it on a daily basis.

Outcomes:

Regarding gender mainstreaming per se, the outputs have been limited because of the narrow view taken by most participants. However, a number of things have been achieved that enhance the mainstreaming of gender later on. It has been recognised that:

water related disasters are not limited to floods but included many more disasters such as arsenic pollution, drought, cyclones, and so on;
that disaster mitigation needs to be an integral part of all developmental program and cannot be dealt with in isolation.
that disaster mitigation needs to start at the lowest affected levels in order to reach the poor.
that women and men are differently affected by disasters and that disaster mitigation needs to sensitive to these differences.