Women's vulnerabilities in humanitarian disaster responses : Oxfam, WFP and CARE in Aceh and Haiti

Abstract

The number of people affected by natural disasters is increasing. These natural disasters hinder long-term development, and have substantial impacts on the lives of those affected. While both women and men are affected by natural disasters, women tend to suffer disproportionately to their male counterparts. It is the structural inequalities women face that render them more vulnerable to natural disasters. Corresponding to the increase in disaster impacts is the number and size of humanitarian organizations in responding to affected populations. Humanitarian organizations need to ensure that their disaster response does not exacerbate these structural inequalities but rather to use this opportunity to address it. This thesis examines the disaster response by three leading humanitarian agencies (Oxfam, WFP and CARE) to the 2004 tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti in order to assess how and to what extent these organizations acknowledge and address the vulnerabilities of women.