Women in humanitarian disasters are affected differently and leading Canadian aid agencies are working to address their needs. February 3, 2019 marked the beginning of International Development Week and the theme this year is “Together for Gender Equality.”
Women face many challenges in a disaster. They often bear the burden of taking care of the sick and injured. They may face more sexual violence and difficulties around pregnancy and birth.
Agency asks women what they need
Care Canada works with women and girls to find out their most pressing concerns and what solutions would work. Some issues are basic, but are of daily importance.
“For example, if you’re building a latrine or a bathroom, we talk to women about where these bathrooms should be located,” says Simran Singh, an adviser with Care Canada. “If we don’t ask, they can be located really far and that means that women are exposed to sexual violence on the way…
“When we do build a bathroom, we look at making sure that there’s locks on the inside so that they feel safe.”
In another example, Care Canada talks to women and men before distributing cash to see who makes the decisions around how the money is used and what barriers exists at the household level.
After a disaster like the tsunami that ravaged Carita, Indonesia in December 2018, women don’t always know how to access humanitarian aid. (Achmad Ibrahim/AP Photo)
Agencies seek to break down barriers to aid
Care Canada also tries to help women lead in emergency situations. “We talk to women about what their needs are, what are some of the barriers they face in accessing humanitarian aid,” says Singh.
“Is it that they don’t feel comfortable speaking at meetings or they don’t understand how the humanitarian system works. We’re working with them to better understand those barriers.
Care Canada’s goal of helping women and girls meshes with policies of the current Canadian government. It states that gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are “key Canadian values.” The government has committed to promote these values through international development assistance, diplomatic advocacy, trade policy and services.
Care Canada’s Simran Singh discusses the special needs of women in humanitarian disasters and how aid agencies meet them.
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