Book Description

Many nations that invest in aquaculture and fisheries for improved nutrition and food security are located in areas prone to natural disasters, such as typhoons. While all residents are vulnerable to the effects of disasters, research suggests that women are disproportionately affected at all stages of disaster management: preparedness, response, and recovery. These inequities contribute to a diminished community capacity of resilience to future disasters. In 2010, the Philippines introduced disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) legislation designed to improve DRRM coordination and effectiveness. In 2013 and 2014, the Philippines experienced two of the largest typhoons to ever hit land, affecting an archipelago of around 7,100 island communities dependent on coastal and marine natural resources. The second typhoon arrived while 28 semi-structured interviews were being conducted with respondents working in DRRM, fishing and aquaculture, and women's organizations in the Philippines, almost exactly one year after the previous typhoon. Data were collected to contextualize changes in gender integration in response to disasters. This research extends the 2009 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) study that indicated a high level of awareness of the importance of gender integration for DRRM in the Philippines, by examining gender dimensions as the disaster management process unfolds. Results reveal that important steps are being taken to integrate gender at the DRRM programmatic level, yet gaps remain at the community level. Changes are due in part to a combination of improved policies and lessons learned from recent disaster events. Interviews across sectors and governing levels one year after devastating Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) and amidst Typhoon Hagupit (Ruby) offer insightful comparisons, and show that perceptions of gender differences vary significantly across social and political settings. These differing perspectives also reveal important information regarding some of the barriers to gender integration in DRRM such as evacuation protocols, recovery efforts, overall DRRM awareness, and political challenges. Additionally, respondents shared some successes in disaster management, offering a positive outlook for forthcoming improvements. Addressing these shortcomings and focusing attention on attainable outcomes can help foster more resilient communities in the Philippines and nations worldwide.