Tsunami: Women should be involved in designing reconstruction<\/p>\n
Rina Jimenez-David, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Asia News Network, Manila<\/p>\n
Distressing indeed is the news that a new earthquake, of a
\nmagnitude of 8.7, has struck off the western coast of Sumatra, in
\nthe general area where, three months ago, a more powerful tremor
\nstruck and triggered the "killer tsunami" that took an estimated
\n270,000 lives.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, there have been no reports of new tsunami threats
\nor incidents, although Indonesian authorities say almost 300
\npeople have been reported to have died on the island of Nias,
\nsaid to be a popular surfing spot.<\/p>\n
The new disaster brings back memories of the tsunami disaster,
\nlessons from which governments and international agencies are
\nstill gathering and applying. One of the more glaring lessons
\nlearned is that, while natural disasters can be said to affect
\neveryone equally -- rich or poor, humble or exalted, young or old
\n-- the impact and scale of victimization is not distributed or
\nfelt evenly. The most obvious division appears to be gender, with
\nwomen and girls bearing a disproportionate share of deaths and
\ninjuries, suffering and violence.<\/p>\n
In a report issued just recently, the British-based charity
\nOxfam International said December's tsunami killed three times
\nmore women than men, with the resulting scarcity of women
\nsurvivors perhaps accounting for fresh reports of forced
\nmarriages and rape.<\/p>\n
"The impact on women was seen especially in Sri Lanka,
\nIndonesia and India. Indonesia, the country hardest hit by the
\nearthquake-generated tsunami, now has villages where men
\noutnumber women 10-to-1," the report noted.<\/p>\n
"The tsunami has dealt a crushing blow to women and men across
\nthe region. In some villages it now appears that up to 80 percent
\nof those killed were women," said Becky Buel, Oxfam's policy
\ndirector. "This disproportionate impact will lead to problems for
\nyears to come unless everyone working on the aid effort addresses
\nthe issue now. We are already hearing about rapes, harassment and
\nforced early marriages."<\/p>\n
Consistent with findings of other agencies, the report
\nconcluded that women suffered disproportionately "because they
\nhad a more difficult time outrunning the surging waters or the
\nbad luck of being at home while the men were out at sea fishing
\nor in the fields working."<\/p>\n
The report found that because of the skewed death ratio, men
\nnow far outnumber women in crowded camps and scattered
\nsettlements, and the women "are vulnerable to a range of abuses."
\nSri Lankan women reportedly have been sexually assaulted in camp
\ntoilets and domestic violence is on the rise.<\/p>\n
In a story based on the Oxfam report, The Associated Press
\nsaid Indonesian women are being sexually harassed in camps,
\nforced or rushed into marrying much older men and victimized by
\nabusive Indonesian soldiers, who reportedly have strip-searched
\nthem.<\/p>\n
"We know of at least three marriages in which women married
\nolder widowers. What we don't know is how forced it was," said
\nInes Smyth, gender adviser for Oxfam.<\/p>\n
"When we asked them, they say they have an obligation to their
\nfamily and were frightened for the future. If you lost everything
\nyou had, including your family, it's very difficult to refuse
\nwhatever is being offered, whether it's protection or the
\npossibility of a house."<\/p>\n
Indonesian activists claim it is difficult to get women to
\ntalk about the abuse or report it to authorities, the Associated
\nPress report said. The few women left in coastal settlements
\ninterviewed said they were unaware of any abuse, and they were
\nfocusing on rebuilding their lives.<\/p>\n
A possible consequence of such massive loss of women's lives
\ncould be the revaluation of women's role in the lives of their
\nfamilies and communities. What will the disappearance of women
\nmean to the ruined villages?<\/p>\n
Activists say such radical changes in a village's population
\nwill likely alter a community for good, "with men put in a
\ndifficult position of leaving a village to restart a family or
\nbringing newcomers into what often was a very tight-knit
\ncommunity."<\/p>\n
The tsunami also could adversely impact poor widowers, the
\nreport said. "Most would like to remarry and start a new family,
\nbut they have no money for the costly dowry and no immediate
\nprospects of resuming their jobs as rice farmers, traders or
\nfishermen."<\/p>\n
Survivors in the devastated villages say what they miss most
\nis "the chatter and laughter of the women," with some complaining
\nthat "there is no one to do the cooking, the washing, and most of
\nall, to keep [us] company at night."<\/p>\n
Given the impact of the tsunami disaster on women and girls,
\nwhat can government do to better respond to the special needs and
\nrequirements of female survivors? Among the strategies suggested
\nby aid and rescue agencies as well as NGOs is to involve and
\nconsult women from the very start, from immediate rescue and
\nrelief efforts to planning the longer-term rehabilitation and
\nreconstruction projects.<\/p>\n
But for this to happen, governments and agencies need to
\nensure better gender representation among their personnel and
\nofficers, more intensive gender-awareness orientation, and more
\ngender-fair distribution of relief and rehabilitation funds to
\nbenefit men and women equally.<\/p>\n
Turning to another disaster, this one entirely of human
\norigin, the second Abanse! Pinay Forum, on "Women, Peace and
\nTerrorism," takes place this afternoon at four at the function
\nroom of Cravings Restaurant on the fifth floor of the Shangri-La
\nMall on Edsa, Mandaluyong.<\/p>\n
Invited as resource persons are Ging Quintos Deles of the
\nOffice of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and
\nrepresentatives of peace advocacy groups. Attendance is open to
\nthe public, though on a "pay-as-you-order" basis. Again, because
\nspace is limited, attendees are advised to come early.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tsunami-women-should-be-involved-in-designing-reconstruction-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}