Socio-Economic Impacts of Natural Disaster

A Gender Analysis

By Bradshaw S
Published: United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC/CEPAL) 2004

This paper analyses the socio-economic effects of huricane Mitch using a gender approach and proposes new analysis indicators for crisis situations that may better reflect women's disadvatageous position relative to men. Some of the conclusions and recommendations include:

• The most significant direct impacts of natural disasters on women include curtailing their spare time, income, and productive activities
• Reconstruciton activities often involve women's labour but fail to adequately respond to women's needs
• Women face severe physical, financial, psychological, and social vulnerabilities
• Mapping projects are vital prior to disaster
• There is a need for a common concept of vulnerability
• There is a need for a range of participatory methods and inclusion of women in evaluations and censuses

The paper also includes extensive tables on facts and statistics that can be used to analyse the effects of a disaster on different groups