Vulnerabilities to hazards; a focus on vulnerable groups and cross

cutting issues

• What do we mean by vulnerability?

• Why does it matter?

• How can we consider these, if there are huge numbers of people affected by floods across the country?

Vulnerabilities to floods

• Due to a range of factors related to our human condition and position in society

But, we should not forget

• Earth Quake vulnerabilities• Geographical vulnerability

What are Cross Cutting issues?

• Human Rights• Gender• Age• Diversity• HIV/AIDS• Environment

What should Humanitarian agencies be doing?

• Ensure integrationEnsure integration of cross-cutting of cross-cutting issuesissues in; in; needs assessment, needs assessment, analysis, planning, response, analysis, planning, response, monitoringmonitoring

• contribute to contribute to development of development of strategiesstrategies

• ensure ensure gender sensitive programminggender sensitive programming and promote gender equalityand promote gender equality

• ensure ensure needs of women and girlsneeds of women and girls as as well as men and boys are addressed;well as men and boys are addressed;

What are challenges?•Treated as low priority•Lack of experience, understanding and skills

•Focus on short-term targets•Little consensus across partners•Poor coordination•Poor information management

What actions can community take?

• Use existing sources of expertise, networks, partners for information and expertise

• Develop indicators which reflect progress and performance in relation to issues

Common standard : Participation

• The disaster-affected population actively participates in the assessment, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the assistance programme.

• Representation of all groups• Communication and transparency • Local capacity [or vulnerability• Long-term sustainability

Why participation?In different situations:• Utilising knowledge and skills• Effective response - meeting the real needs

• Understand wide range of needs of different groups

• Ensure no groups further disadvantaged• Contribute to sustainability (where appropriate)

• ‘Empowerment’ • People having more of a say / more control over decisions affecting their own lives

Participation - limitations

• Time-intensive• Resource intensive • Cannot involve everyone • Can be manipulated • Difficult to reach the most vulnerable

• Competing demands in emergencies –speed versus being participatory & inclusive

Common standard : initial assessment

• Assessments provide an understanding of the disaster situation and a clear analysis of threats to life, dignity, health and livelihoods to determine, in consultation with the relevant authorities, whether an external response is required and, if so, the nature of the response.

Common standard 4: Targeting

• Humanitarian assistance or services are provided equitably and impartially, based on the vulnerability and needs of individuals or groups affected by disaster.

• The purpose of targeting • Targeting mechanisms • Targeting criteria • Access to and use of facilities and services

• Monitoring errors of exclusion and inclusion

YOUR TURN!In groups:• HIV-AIDS• PROTECTION• ENVIRONMENT• GENDER• AGE

A focus on gender issues

Why focus on Gender issues? Women will invariably be the largest constituent group

that are more vulnerable and often have less influence and

involvement in decision making. They are also

traditionally the carers in the family for children

Gender • Sex refers to biological characteristics of being male or female which are genetically determined

• Gender refers to the roles, responsibilities, needs, interests and capacities of both men and women

(IFRC’s gender policy)

Two faces of disasters

While disasters generally accentuate existing gender

equalities, they also have the potential to alter the division

of labour, mainly through changes in household

composition

Why consider gender issues...

• If you don’t, the impact is likely to be less and the project may fail (efficiency)

• If you don’t then certain groups may be excluded or further disadvantaged (equity)

• Because it can contribute to empowerment of various groups and help them have a greater voice (empowerment)

• Because it is the right of everybody to be involved in decisions and in their own development (rights based)

Who should consider gender issues?

• Co-ordinators / managers• Engineers• Public health promoters• Logisticians• Medical staff

.... EVERYONE

Gender issuesConsidering gender is not a one off task

It is not just ‘doing gender analysis’

It is a continual process

And should be integrated into all work

Barriers to considering gender issues

• Policies not always converted to practice - ‘gender policy evaporation’

• Senior management & other staff not always personally committed

• Lack of planned resources• Considering involves understanding and responding to power issues – needs skill & confidence

• Each situation different – takes time to learn & needs dynamic learning

• Complex & intertwined with other social distinctions – culture, religion, ethnicity, rich, poor, age

What can gender issues look like?

• Women can be vulnerable to attack at badly lit communal latrines, or water sources hidden away

• Men often get the opportunity for paid posts, women voluntary posts

• In emergencies men and boys and women and girls can be vulnerable to different things – young men vulnerable to involuntary conscription, women less access and control over resources, vulnerable to rape / incest etc

• Women have some particular physical needs (sex related) re menstruation which need to be responded to

• ‘Sudden crises, like war or famine, can radically and rapidly change what men and women do – although sometimes (as women ex-combatants in liberation struggles have found) after the crises the old attitudes may return. But sometimes the changes have a permanent impact’

• Elderly men or women with no family to support them may have difficulty collecting food rations or reaching water points

Practical responses - general

• Programme staff should be representative of groups – female, male, people from ethnic minorities – women relief workers are important to women survivors (IFRC)

• Training opportunities given to each group – additional training may be needed by some groups

• Training and support on gender & equity is also needed for programme staff – international and national, male and female

• Partner with women’s organisations, grass roots advocacy organisations, other community based women’s groups – use their local knowledge, insight, social networks etc. (V. Walden)

• Consider women not as weak and vulnerable victims... but as agents of change with an ability to take on new roles and to help build a more equitable gender relations (V.Walden)

Practical responses - assessments

• Gender analysis: (various forms – Resource & Activity Analysis, People-Oriented Analytical Framework, Capacities & Vulnerability Analysis etc): – Determine - roles, activities, access to and control of

resources, decision making opportunities, coping strategies, needs, differential impacts on men and women etc.

• Use practical methods such as mapping by gender, pocket card voting etc to identify views and needs of the different groups

• Ensure both women and men and representatives of minority groups (if possible) are in the assessment teams

• Understand traditional power structures and influential organisations (Venn diagrams, direct questions etc)

Participation, gender and equity