Gender-based vulnerabilities for women during natural disasters in Bangladesh
IntroductionFactors that negatively impact women's disaster experiences include poor disaster preparedness, lack of access to a safe place, displacement worries, distance from shelters, risk of abuse in shelters, poverty, and low cultural position of women in rural Bangladesh. This study aimed...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Communication |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1180406/full |
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| author | Syadani Riyad Fatema Syadani Riyad Fatema Leah East Leah East Shahidul Islam Kim Usher |
| author_facet | Syadani Riyad Fatema Syadani Riyad Fatema Leah East Leah East Shahidul Islam Kim Usher |
| author_sort | Syadani Riyad Fatema |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionFactors that negatively impact women's disaster experiences include poor disaster preparedness, lack of access to a safe place, displacement worries, distance from shelters, risk of abuse in shelters, poverty, and low cultural position of women in rural Bangladesh. This study aimed to give voice to women who experienced gender-based vulnerabilities during natural disasters.MethodsThe research was conducted with women in the two disaster-prone areas utilizing a qualitative approach. Women, aged 18 years or above, who were permanent residents of the selected disaster-prone areas and have experienced one or more disasters, were invited to participate in the study. Twenty-four women volunteered to participate. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interview recordings containing questions on sociodemographic characteristics and open-ended questions to assess gender-based vulnerabilities during disasters; data were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques.ResultsOne main theme and six sub-themes emerged from the analysis. Women were often in the middle of making life choices between the risk of being abused and death in disasters. Shelters lacked privacy, heightened the risk of abuse, and women faced social stigma if displaced from their homes during a disaster. The women also experienced health risks because of inadequate hygiene and poor living arrangements such as a lack of adequate shelters, toilet facilities, and secure gender-segregated living arrangements if relocation was essential during a disaster.DiscussionFindings from this study provide guidance to policymakers and disaster aid organizations on disaster preparedness and post-disaster facilities to address the socio-cultural needs of rural women in disaster-prone areas of Bangladesh. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T09:53:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4343b96b013b4810abe6b4e177cbd7da |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-900X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T09:53:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-4343b96b013b4810abe6b4e177cbd7da2023-05-24T05:25:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Communication2297-900X2023-05-01810.3389/fcomm.2023.11804061180406Gender-based vulnerabilities for women during natural disasters in BangladeshSyadani Riyad Fatema0Syadani Riyad Fatema1Leah East2Leah East3Shahidul Islam4Kim Usher5School of Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, BangladeshSchool of Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Health, Engineering & Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, AustraliaSchool of Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaIntroductionFactors that negatively impact women's disaster experiences include poor disaster preparedness, lack of access to a safe place, displacement worries, distance from shelters, risk of abuse in shelters, poverty, and low cultural position of women in rural Bangladesh. This study aimed to give voice to women who experienced gender-based vulnerabilities during natural disasters.MethodsThe research was conducted with women in the two disaster-prone areas utilizing a qualitative approach. Women, aged 18 years or above, who were permanent residents of the selected disaster-prone areas and have experienced one or more disasters, were invited to participate in the study. Twenty-four women volunteered to participate. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interview recordings containing questions on sociodemographic characteristics and open-ended questions to assess gender-based vulnerabilities during disasters; data were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques.ResultsOne main theme and six sub-themes emerged from the analysis. Women were often in the middle of making life choices between the risk of being abused and death in disasters. Shelters lacked privacy, heightened the risk of abuse, and women faced social stigma if displaced from their homes during a disaster. The women also experienced health risks because of inadequate hygiene and poor living arrangements such as a lack of adequate shelters, toilet facilities, and secure gender-segregated living arrangements if relocation was essential during a disaster.DiscussionFindings from this study provide guidance to policymakers and disaster aid organizations on disaster preparedness and post-disaster facilities to address the socio-cultural needs of rural women in disaster-prone areas of Bangladesh.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1180406/fullwomengendernatural disastersBangladeshvulnerabilities |
| spellingShingle | Syadani Riyad Fatema Syadani Riyad Fatema Leah East Leah East Shahidul Islam Kim Usher Gender-based vulnerabilities for women during natural disasters in Bangladesh Frontiers in Communication women gender natural disasters Bangladesh vulnerabilities |
| title | Gender-based vulnerabilities for women during natural disasters in Bangladesh |
| title_full | Gender-based vulnerabilities for women during natural disasters in Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | Gender-based vulnerabilities for women during natural disasters in Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender-based vulnerabilities for women during natural disasters in Bangladesh |
| title_short | Gender-based vulnerabilities for women during natural disasters in Bangladesh |
| title_sort | gender based vulnerabilities for women during natural disasters in bangladesh |
| topic | women gender natural disasters Bangladesh vulnerabilities |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1180406/full |
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