Gender and Humanitarian Crisis. Oxfam photo Geoff Sayar, Uganda Oxfam photo Anisa Draboo, India Oxfam photo Rajendra Shaw, India

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1 Gender and Humanitarian Crisis Oxfam photo Geoff Sayar, Uganda Oxfam photo Anisa Draboo, India Oxfam photo Rajendra Shaw, India

2 Impacts on Women and Girls Wars, natural disasters and related crisis situations have profoundly different impacts on women, girls, boys and men. They face different risks and are thus victimized in different ways. Oxfam photo Jane Beesley, Kenya

3 Women More Vulnerable Women are often more vulnerable to crisis than men through their socially constructed roles and responsibilities, and higher level of poverty. Oxfam Photo, Nicki Bennett, Sudan

4 Poverty Women comprise 70% of those living below the poverty line. As a result, they are most likely to bear the heaviest burdens when natural disasters and conflict strike. An increase in the number of female-headed households also amplifies women's responsibilities and vulnerabilities. - Oxfam photo Anonymous, Somalia

5 Access to Resources Women usually have fewer assets than men to recover from humanitarian emergencies, and don't own land that can be sold to secure income. Women often lack safe shelter, assets and resources, material and financial resources, and access to credit and services. Oxfam Photo- Rebecca Wynn, Democratic Republic of Congo

6 Water, Sanitation, and Health Water, sanitation and health challenges put an extra burden on women. Women, in general, are responsible for reproductive tasks such as food collection and energy supply for the household as well as many care-giving tasks, such as care for the children, sick, elderly, the home and assets. Oxfam photo, Annie Bungeroth, Nicaragua

7 Sexual Violence Women face devastating forms of gender-based violence during times of conflict which include sexual violence. Sexual violence has now become a tactic during humanitarian emergencies. - EPA/ ORLANDO BARRIA, Haiti

8 Access to Information/Education For women and girls, lower levels of education reduce access to resources and informationincluding early warning mechanisms. They are often less mobile and more likely to be confined to the house. Oxfam Photo, Anonymous, Pakistan

9 Lack of Women s Voices Women are still sidelined in participating in formal peace talks and reconstruction. In ten of the major peace processes in the past decade, only 6 percent of negotiators and under 3 percent of signatories were women. Oxfam photo- Liz Lucas, Democratic Republic of Congo

10 Women As Agents of Change Too often women are primarily perceived as the main victims of emergencies and not as positive agents of change. Emergencies can provide women with a unique opportunity to challenge and change their gendered status in society. Oxfam photo Abbie Traylor-Smith, Haiti Oxfam photo Jane Beesley, Kenya

11 Women As Community Mobilizers In general, women have proved effective in mobilizing the community to respond to, and prepare for emergencies. Oxfam photo Caroline Gluck, Uganda

12 An Example For example, after Hurricane Mitch struck Nicaragua, the NGO, Puntos de Encuentro, organized an information campaign Violence against women is one disaster that men can prevent. The campaign proved effective in changing men's attitudes towards violence against women. Oxfam photo Annie Bungeroth, Nicaragua

13 A Window of Opportunity Humanitarian crises can provide a window of opportunity for addressing genderbased discrimination. If humanitarian interventions are not planned with gender equality in mind, the chances of doing greater harm increase, and the opportunity to support gender equality can be lost. Intermom photo Ivan Munoz, Haiti