GGCA Gender and Climate Change Training Manual - Women's ...

for development policies, in addition to being of interest to in various scientific,
humanitarian and environmental fields.
The Framework includes the statement that a “gender perspective
should be integrated into all disaster risk management policies, plans and
decision-making processes, including those related to risk assessment, early
warning, information management, and education and training.” 27 The
framework recognizes that gender must be included in all areas of risk
management, through the phases of the disaster cycle, including response,
recovery, preparedness, and hazard mitigation.
51
It also includes, in priorities for action for 2005–2015, the need to develop
“early warning systems that are people-centred, in particular systems whose
warnings are timely and understandable to those at risk, which take into account
the demographic, gender, cultural and livelihood characteristics of the target
audiences, including guidance on how to act upon warnings, and that support
effective operations by disaster managers and other decision makers.” 28
In relation to education and training it calls Parties to “ensure equal
access to appropriate training and educational opportunities for women and
vulnerable constituencies; promote gender and cultural sensitivity training as
integral components of education and training for disaster risk reduction.” 29
The document “Words Into Action” (2007) serves as a guideline for
implementing the HFA and further advocates a gender perspective in all phases
of disaster cycles in national action strategies. In the guiding principles for
developing risk reduction strategies, the document specifies: “Gender is a core
factor in disaster risk and in the implementation of disaster risk reduction. Gender
is a central organizing principle in all societies, and therefore women and men
are differently at risk from disasters. In all settings - at home, at work or in the
neighbourhood - gender shapes the capacities and resources of individuals to
minimize harm, adapt to hazards and respond to disasters.
It is evident from past disasters that low-income women and those
who are marginalized due to marital status, physical ability, age, social stigma
or caste are especially disadvantaged. At the grassroots level, on the other
27
General considerations 13(d).
28
Priorities for action 2: 17 ii-(d).
29
Priorities for action 3: 18 ii-(m).
Module 2