Gender, Disability and Disaster Risk Reduction: The Role of Intersectional Leadership on DRR

November 26, 2019

A thought experiment:

One. Two. Three. Three women in a room of ten making decisions about evacuation measures. Who are these decision-makers, and are their perspectives equally weighted? Who will be affected by their decisions? What does it mean for their communities? In a conflict and disaster-affected area, is everyone truly and meaningfully included?

The N-Peace initiative works on increasing the visibility of Women, Peace and Security advocates. With the support from the Government of Canada, N-Peace rolled out the civil society organization grants in 2018, to galvanize action on the ground on country- and context-specific women, peace and security challenges. One of the 21 organizations we worked with in 2018, curated a project that looked at the intersections between gender, disaster risk reduction, disability and women’s leadership in sustaining peace.

                     

Aceh, Indonesia is a unique location where the role of inclusive and intersectional leadership is magnified. Located on the Pacific Ring, the region is prone to natural hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis. It is also home to hundreds of ethnic groups, and the historic signing of the peace agreement between Gerakah Aceh Merdeka (GAM, the Free Aceh Movement) and the government in 2005. Ever-present concerns of natural disasters, sustaining peace and the impact climate change are stark, and the need for intersectionality at all levels live-saving.

In 2018, N-Peace selected Acehnese organization, Natural Aceh to implement a project to strengthen preparedness of local communities, by enhancing the leadership roles of young disabled women. The premise was simple: if young disabled women are empowered with evacuation training in the event of natural hazards, and further on women’s leadership to address remnants of past conflict and potential of emerging conflicts, then they will share this information with their communities and build resilience. 

Through a series of trainings, consultations and advocacy work, the young disabled women’s network not only worked within their communities to improve preparedness, but their views on disaggregated data collection in the MUSRENA – the planning of gender-friendly cities, was adopted. The collective of women leaders continues to support local government in the collection of data on differently abled people and preparing their communities to save lives during peace challenges and natural hazards.

This short example illustrates how intersectional and inclusive leadership can amplify the voices of all women and their inherent potential as decision-makers. During the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami nearly 70 % of the victims were women and girls. The Aceh region was one of the most affected with approximately 200,000 deaths. It is therefore imperative that we note that in times of hazards it is women who are disproportionately affected. Women from marginalized communities, and particularly disabled women are more vulnerable. The importance of their participation in mapping out their own futures cannot be overstated.

By creating networks of women groups, organizations like Natural Aceh support UNDP’s work in integrating sustainable development – engaging gender equality as an accelerator to sustaining peace, reducing disaster risk and changing the narratives of capabilities of differently abled people.

People sitting in a room making decisions about evacuation measures. Some disabled, all from different backgrounds working to enhance resilience for their local communities.

 

Read more about the innovative ways that organizations across the region are galvanizing Women, Peace and Security to respond to local challenges:

Next Generation Women, Peace and Security: Case Studies in Women’s Inclusion