Emergency and Rehabilitation Programmes: Does Gender Matter?

Gender must be mainstreamed into emergency relief programming

Produced by: Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) & World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT) 2005

This factsheet examines men's and women's differing vulnerabilities in times of emergency. In wartime, men are often primary casualties, while women - in situations of armed conflicts, civil strife, or natural disasters - often lose the capacity to sustain their family’s livelihood. Women are often more vulnerable because of lower socio-economic standing to men, in terms of access to necessary resources and ability to gainfully provide for their families. They lack influence due to inequality and disempowerment, and have less decision-making power and control over their lives.