If women are left out of emergency response
Date:
Author: Faria Salman
The exclusion of women from the process of responding to disasters and emergencies can diminish the prospects of sustainable peace. Gender inclusive humanitarian responses to disasters and emergencies cannot be sustainable without the active and meaningful participation of women.
Disasters and emergencies take away women’s agency, leaving them voiceless. Women’s absence in disaster planning, mitigation and its response has concrete consequences for both society and women’s ability to be recognized as agents of change.
Over the years women’s organizations working to engage gender issues in emergencies in Pakistan have advocated for a strong focus on initiating a gender sensitive approach to response in emergencies. There has been a pro-active engagement of involving the Government particularly Women Development Departments, the National Disaster Management Authority, local Disaster Management Authorities, parliamentarians, and civil society organizations, groups and networks in amplifying the voices of women and prioritizing their needs in emergencies.
The first ever World Humanitarian Summit is being convened by the United Nations in Istanbul in 2016, where Member States (including Pakistan) will gather to support efforts to better assist some 100 million people in need each year.
In preparing to make humanitarian action more effective and inclusive of the voice of women, a national consultation on the ‘Role of Women in the World Humanitarian Summit’ was jointly organized by UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, and CARE International Pakistan, in Islamabad on 13 October 2015. With participation from leading humanitarian organizations, networks, and development partners, this dialogue platform is a first step to share and gather information around gender and women’s rights in recent emergencies across the country.
Speaking at the event, Ms. Sangeeta Thapa, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women Pakistan, said: “In Pakistan an immeasurable number of women, men and children need life-saving humanitarian assistance. There are a significant number of those which are affected by both natural and human-induced disasters. By amalgamating, reviewing processes and putting forward our recommendations each one of us can help in making a difference”.
Ms. Liz McLaughlin, Country Director, CARE International Pakistan, in highlighting the importance of integrating a gender perspective in emergencies stated: “It is a unique opportunity to advocate for gender equality spaces at the World Humanitarian Summit. Humanitarian organizations and networks in Pakistan are well placed and have added value in promoting (a) the greater implementation of gender in emergencies, and (b) more attention to the growing linkages between climate change and disasters, and approaches of early warning and early action to build resilience, as well as dealing with recovery and loss and damage of impacts occurred. These need to be articulated based on our experiences and capacities”.
Recommendations from the consultation will lead into a joint position paper/submission to the Government of Pakistan and the World Humanitarian Summit Secretariat, to improve responses to gender in humanitarian actions and emergencies (before, during and after) globally, and in Pakistan.
For more information contact:
Ms. Faria Salman,
Strategic Management and Partnerships Officer & Communications Focal Point for UN Women Pakistan
Email: faria.salman@unwomen.org