This document provides background context for developing a gender responsive national resilience programme in Bangladesh. It discusses how disasters disproportionately impact women, who often experience higher mortality rates and face greater challenges during disasters due to social inequalities and gender roles. Integrating gender equality into disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation programs can help address these inequalities and reduce women's vulnerability. The document also outlines how promoting gender equality and women's participation in the economy can contribute to long-term growth and development.

1. Background and Context for Developing a Gender Responsive National Resilience
Programme in Bangladesh
Report for UN Women
Maureen Fordham and Nizamuddin Al-Hussainy
For UN Women Bangladesh
September 2016
The Big Question - Why Integrate Gender EqualityAcross DRR and CCA?1
After many years of advocacy and some successes, it is perhaps now less important to ask
‘why’ and more important to ask ‘how’ and ‘when’ gender equality should be integrated across
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). Yet, there remain
individuals, groups or institutions which do not yet understand what decades of research and
observation have told us: “Disasters don’t discriminate, but people do… disasters reinforce,
perpetuate and increase gender inequality, making bad situations worse for women”2
. Some
social groups experience greater impacts or are at greater risk than others; and some have a
greater voice in decision making before, during or after disasters. At the most extreme end
particular social groups die in greater numbers in disasters.
Although the specific figures may be disputable, the general principle is widely supported; in
most – but not all – of the cases of disasters, mortality amongst women is significantly higher
than men. For example, 70% of fatalities in Banda Aceh after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
were women and as high as 91% in Bangladesh after Cyclone Gorky in 1991. The International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) uses a much quoted figure that women and children
are 14 times more likely to die than men during natural disasters. Whatever the number, and
this will vary according to context, Neumeyer and Pluemper’s (2007)3
statistical analysis on 141
countries found that women were more likely to die, or die sooner, than men in disasters. While
the factors behind these figures may vary, the trend is avoidable if addressed upfront in disaster
managementor climate change strategies. In Bangladesh for example, when Cyclone Sidr4
hit in
2007 the proportion of fatalities amongst women was significantly reduced compared to 1991
records, because some of the cultural sensitivities and practical barriers that had led women to
be reluctant to use cyclone shelters had been addressed.
Needs and challenges of disaster vulnerable women
The ability to reduce risk and vulnerability is formed based on a combination of many factors,
among which are: social position, poverty level, gender, age group, ethnic background and
many more. Existing gender relations between men and women in disaster risk reduction are
closely linked to the role and responsibilities of both women and men at home and in society.
These roles define different identities, social responsibilities, opportunities, barriers, attitudes
and expectations. Such differences in most cases are not favourable to women and lead to
gender inequality along the whole continuum of socio-economic development, including various
1
This is a combined report of the Summary of Desk Reviewwith Focus on Addressing Gender Perspective of DRR/CCA by
Nizamuddin Al-Hussainy, Consultant to UN Women-Bangladesh (August 2016) and the TechnicalReviewof Documents by
Maureen Fordham, Consultant to UN Women-Bangladesh, September 2016.
2
UNISDR 2009 Making Disaster Risk Reduction gender sensitive: policy and practicalguidelines, page 17
3
Neumayer, Eric and Pluemper, Thomas (2007) The gendered nature of naturaldisasters: the impact of catastrophic events on the
gender gap in life expectancy, 1981–2002. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 97 (3). pp. 551-566
4
A catastrophic cyclone (Category-4) that ravaged centralcoastalareas of Bangladesh on 15 November 2007

2. types of vulnerability before, duringand after disasters;and differential ability to reduce the risk
and respond effectively. This is often because women and girls have more limited access to
information and knowledge which increases vulnerability to disasters for them and their families.
This is not confined to Bangladesh but is a global phenomenon, albeit to different degrees.
In 2003 when there was a heatwave in Europe, the number of women which died was higher
than that of men; in 2005 more African-American women were affected by Hurricane Katrina
compared to men. As a result of Cyclone Nargiz, which struck Myanmar in 2008, the number of
female fatalities was higher than men in the age group from 18 to 60 years old. Many more
examples could be listed, including where more men died than women. However, in most
countries women occupy subordinate positions in society, have less control over the means of
production, more limited freedom of movement, less educational attainment, poor opportunities
to participate in decision-making processes, and even unequal access to food as compared to
men.
Health, especially reproductive health of women, is another impact from disasters on human life.
A recent study5
concludes that women in disaster prone areas often suffer more from sexual and
reproductive health related problems during and after a disaster as opposed to normal times.
Disasters (natural or human induced) affect social and economic development of the country,
gradually eroding the assets of citizens, increasing social and economic inequity, and often
diverting critical resources from development towards creating humanitarian goods and services
for the affected people6
.
A study on violence against women in disasters is one example of how issues of gender
inequality can be one cause of the disproportionate effects of disaster and climate change on
women. A pioneering study by Nasreen (2008)7
indicates that a large number (71.6%) of women
studied were subject to more violence during disasters. Married women mentioned an increase
in violence, specifically physical and psychological forms of violence. Sexual harassment
including forced sex, rape at home and in shelters were also reported by women and girls. Many
women and girls do not take refuge in shelters during disasters due to a lack of personal
security. The effectiveness of state mechanisms to provide security for women in disaster
shelters around the country is very limited and women and girls with a disability are the most
vulnerable8
. Although rights violations of women are not only limited to times of disaster, it is
evident that violence against women during disasters is a common phenomenon. Yet there is no
specific policy or social protection to combat violence against women during disasters910
.
At the same time, women’s actual and potential contributions to disaster risk reduction, all over
the world, are frequently not taken into consideration. Women’s vulnerability to disasters is
frequently given special priority in policy but despite all this, their role in strengthening a
sustainability culture and their active contribution to household and community stability during
disasters often remains unnoticed and is not duly recognized. Women are generally absent from
the development of DRR strategies and decision-making processes and, when they are present,
their voice is not heard. We return to this below.
5
Nasreen, M. et al. 2014. A Rapid Assessment on the situation of Sexual and Reproductive Health during Emergency, FPAB and
SPRINT
6
Ahmed, A.U., 2013. Facing an Uncertain Future Under Global Environmental Change: How Bangladesh Will Address
Vulnerabilities, Centre for Global Change (CGC), Dhaka
7
Nasreen, M., 2008. Violence against Women during Floods and Post Flood Situations in Bangladesh, ActionAid, Dhaka
8
Nasreen, M., 2012. Women and Girls: Vulnerable or Resilient, Dhaka University: Women and Girls: Vulnerable or Resilient Institute
of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies, Dhaka.
9
Nasreen, 2008 as above
10
Nasreen, 2012 as above

3. How inequality drives vulnerabilityand impacts negativelyon growth (and conversely
how equality contributes to economic growth)
Strong evidence from disasters risk reduction practice considering gender aspects throughout
the world show that both men and women benefit from gender balance within DRR approach.
Equal and active participation of men and women in DRR leads to population’s resistance to
disasters, which is the key to achieve sustainable socio-economic development.
Recent analyses11
have provided evidence of the important economic benefits that accrue from
equal opportunities for women to participate in the global economy. One report estimates the
contribution to be $28 trillion, or 26% of global growth by 202512
. Related to this is the
importance of, not just increasing the quantity of women in the economy but in increasing the
quality of their contribution by having more women in leadership positions13
both of which would
support Bangladesh’s aim in achieving middle-income country status.
While the discussion here is focused on Bangladesh, there is evidence internationally which
points to the same conclusions. For example, UNDP’s Africa Development Report14
remarks:
‘As the economic status of women improves, so does the economic status of entire families – a
major factor in reducing the blight of inter-generational poverty and low human development.
There is a high economic cost when women are not more fully integrated into their respective
national economies. Gender inequality in the labour market alone cost sub-Saharan Africa
about USD 95 billion annually between 2010 and 2014, peaking at USD 105 billion in 2014.
These results confirm that Africa is missing its full growth potential because a sizeable portion of
its growth reserve – women – is not fully utilized’ (page 4).
Females are approximately 50% of the population in Bangladesh and could make an even
greater contribution to the country’s growth than they already do. Currently, in Bangladesh as in
most other parts of the world, women spend a greater amount of time in unpaid care and
domestic work. Women’s childrearing work is vital to support the future workforce but
opportunities must be available for women who want to work, as well or instead, on income
earning enterprises outside the home (and this would mean support for men to take on more of
the domestic role is necessary too).
We have seen that when women provide economic returns to the family, then they receive
greater respect from both family members and the community at large. This respect builds
women’s self-esteem and develops them to meet their potential as highly productive citizens.
DRR and gender are common multi-sector problems. Solutionsto these problems are possible
through integrated approaches and coordinated joint actions in political, technical, social and
humanitarian processes, as well as in the development process. Integration of gender and DRR
provides an opportunity to review gender relations in society from different perspectives and,
through the window of opportunity that disaster creates, increase gender equality in social and
economic development more broadly.
Gender equality, gender rights and gender equity: beyond women as beneficiaries -
doing something with women and not for women
11
Woetzel et al 2015; Noland et al 2016; UNU-EHS 2016
12
Jonathan Woetzel, AnuMadgavkar, Kw eilin Ellingrud, Eric Labaye, Sandrine Devillard, Eric Kutcher, James Manyika, Richard
Dobbs, Mekala Krishnan 2015 THE POWER OF PARITY: HOW ADVANCING WOMEN’S EQUALITY CAN ADD $12 TRILLION
TO GLOBAL GROWTH, McKinsey Global Institute http://w w w .mckinsey.com/global-themes/employment-and-grow th/how -
advancing-w omens-equality-can-add-12-trillion-to-global-grow th
13
Marcus Noland, Tyler Moran, and Barbara Kotschw ar 2016 Is Gender Diversity Profitable? Evidence from a Global Survey,
Working Paper 16-3 Peterson Institute for International Economics https://piie.com/publications/w p/w p16-3.pdf
14
UNDP 2016 Africa Human Development Report: Accelerating Gender Equality and Women’s Empow erment in Africa

4. Expanding women’s economic opportunities is central to the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development. More than two decades after the landmark 1995 United
Nations (UN) Conference on Women in Beijing and with the unprecedented consensus
on the 2030 Agenda, the global commitment to gender equality has never been stronger.
For the first time in history, governments have set a concrete deadline for the elimination
of gender inequality—the year 2030. And the potential gains for basic human rights, for
human development and for economic growth have never been larger.15
The release of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic
Empowerment - Leave No One Behind (2016) provides a wealth of evidence from around the
world on inequality faced by women and girls. The report notes that the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) offer a global framework for reaching gender equality and for
holding accountable those who hinder it. Although Bangladesh has been developing a range of
gender policies, it is still at the higher levels of discrimination globally (see Figure).
The report presents a number of examples from Bangladesh – both good and bad. For
example, referring to access to digitized wage payments, women textile workers reported
thatpreviously their husbands or mothers-in-law wouldconfiscate the cash they brought home—
butthey now have a voice inhow the money is spent16
. However, only 18 percent of digital
finance users are women, with even fewer holding registered financial accounts17
. In
considering post disaster relief strategies, enabling this kind of strategic change in women’s
lives would do more to address inequality issues than just providing women with sewing
machines. This kind of initiative builds self-esteem and creates the environment for women to
15
Secretariat, UN Secretary-General’s High-LevelPanel on Women’s Economic Empow erment 2016 LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND. A
CALL TO ACTION FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. REPORT OF THE UN
SECRETARY-GENERAL’S HIGH-LEVEL PANEL ON WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT,
www.WomensEconomicEmpow erment.org
16
Secretariat, UN Secretary-General’s High-LevelPanel on Women’s Economic Empow erment 2016: 75
17
Shrader, L. 2015. “Digital Finance in Bangladesh: Where are all the Women?” Consultative Group to Assist the Poor, 3 February.
http://www.cgap.org/blog/digital-finance-bangladesh-where-are-all-women.

5. make a contribution to society’s economic growth. The alternative is to continue to treat women
as beneficiaries of charity which does little to build self-confidence or personal growth.
The ‘Leave No One Behind’ report presents seven primary drivers of women’s economic
empowerment which are linked to the relevant SDGs:
1. Breaking stereotypes: Tackling adversesocial norms and promoting positive rolemodels
2. Levelling the playing field for women:Ensuring legal protection and reformingdiscriminatory
laws and regulations
3. Investing in care: Recognizing,reducing and redistributing unpaid workand care
4. Ensuring a fair share of assets: Buildingassets—Digital,financial and property
5. Businesses creating opportunities:Changing business culture and practice
6. Governments creating opportunities:Improving public sector practices inemployment and
procurement
7. Enhancing women’s voices:Strengthening visibility, collective voiceand representation (pages
94-99 and see Figure below).
To these they add, improving sex-disaggregated data andgender analysis (page 99).
Source: As above, page 4
While many of these go beyond what a National Resilience Strategy might address, some are
more easily incorporated (although they remain challenging to achieve). Sex, age and disability
disaggregated data (as well as other cultural aspects) are included in the Sendai Framework

6. and is a relatively easy challenge to meet, although not without representing a considerable
burden to member states to design and collect. For example, ‘Breaking stereotypes: Tackling
adverse social norms and promoting positive role models’ is perhaps the most challenging of all
even thoughaddressing discriminatory ideologies is recognised to be a persistent gap in
interventions (see18
). And yet there are initiatives attempting to address this through the
inclusion of men and boys in gender violence reduction actions to change fundamentally
discriminatory attitudes.
The Brave Men Campaign19
is an initiative to encourage men and boys, specifically young men
and boys, and the society in general, to say no to Violence Against Women (VAW). Proposed
and developed by Dr SaikhImtiaz the Brave Men Campaign is an initiative of the Bangladesh
National Human Rights Commission Capacity Development Project (BNHRC-CDP) supported
by UNDP, the Swiss Confederation, Sweden and DANIDA. Centre for Men and Masculinities
Studies (CMMS) and United Nations Youth and Students Association of Bangladesh (UNYSAB)
is implementing the campaign. This is a good model for inclusion also in DRR programmes to
deal with the peaks in gender based violence post-disaster. A rationale for dealing with GBV –
should one be needed – is evidenced in work by the NGO CARE which has costed gender
based violence and found that domestic violence has many monetary costs to individuals, family
members and society such as lost wages, medical bills, legal fees and relocation expenses. The
study found that the cost of domesticviolence represents about 12.5% ofBangladesh’s national
annual expenditure, orabout 2.1% of gross domestic product20
.
We can see by the above discussion that dealing with gender inequality can be good for
Bangladesh society as a whole but that it is a complex and cross cutting problem. Too often the
response has been fragmentary and even though the individual interventions may be sound,
they can only address a few of the symptoms and not the cause. The next section presents a
selection of examples from Bangladesh in recent years, after setting out the background
context.
The Current Context in Bangladesh – A Situation Analysis
Background
With an area of less than 150,000 sq. km. and a growing population of over 160 million,
Bangladesh has one of the highest population densities in the world and is ranked number five
in the world risk index21
. These events regularly wreak havoc on society and the economy,
creating obstacles to development, food security, and poverty alleviation. However, due to the
frequent occurrence of natural disasters in Bangladesh, the Government has established a well-
developed structure for disaster risk management (DRM) although the prevalence of gender
inequality during emergency response, risk reduction and throughout recurrent disasters has
prompted policy makers to revisit the entire approach to DRM & DRR/CCA.
Policies and legal frameworks have been formulated in order to equip the GOB machinery to
consider steps towards reducing risks of disasters and climate change. For example, the
Disaster Management Act, National Plan for Disaster Management, and the Standing Orders on
Disaster (SODs).
18
Alan Greig and ShamimaPervin 2013 Programme Document: Joint Programme on Gender-based Violence Prevention in
Bangladesh, Prepared by for UNFPA August 201
19
https://www.facebook.com/BraveMenCampaign/
20
CARE. 2013. “Bangladesh: Understanding the Cost of Gender-Based Violence and the Importance of Engaging Men and Boys.”
Case Study. Atlanta, GA. http://www.care.org/sites/default/files/documents/2013%20COVAW%20Case%20Study.pdf.
21
http://www.preventionweb.net/english/countries/statistics/risk. See also UNU-EHS Global Risk Report 2016
http://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:5763/WorldRiskReport2016_small.pdf

7. Disaster Management Act
The Disaster Management Act forms the legal basis (i) for the protection of life and property (ii)
to manage long term risks from the effects of natural as well as technological and human
induced hazards, and (iii) to respond to and recover from a disaster. The DM Act prioritizes the
most vulnerable hard core poor and disadvantaged disaster affected people including women
and children, the elderly and people with disabilities as the primary target in protecting them with
required safety net and risk reduction related assistance.
National Plan for Disaster Management
The National Plan for Disaster Management provides the overall guideline for the relevant
sectors and the disaster management committees at all levels to prepare and implement
specific plans for their respective areas. The plan identifies the key sectoral policy agenda for
disaster management.
The National Disaster Management Policy (2008) sets out to integrate a DRR approach and
climate change adaptation in all development plans, programs and policies. The Policy
highlights priorities for disaster risk reduction and adaptation through assessment of climate
change risk, community based programs for risk reduction, public awareness, improving early
warning and community alerting systems, integrates strategy of combining structural and non-
structural measures, modern communication facilities, strengthening emergency response
systems, and international cooperation for overall disaster management, etc.
Standing Orders on Disaster
The Standing Orders on Disaster provide a detailed institutional framework for disaster risk
reduction and emergency management. They outline detailed roles and responsibilities of
Ministries, divisions, departments, various committees at different levels, and other
organizations involved in disaster risk reduction and emergency management. A building code
was enacted by Parliament in September 2006 and is now being enforced in Dhaka
metropolitan area for the construction of any building. Bangladesh, as a signatory of the Bali
Action Plan, has developed a pro-poor Climate Change Strategy and an Action Plan, which
prioritize adaptation and risk reduction, but also addresses low carbon development, mitigation
and technology transfer.
The Government of Bangladesh (GOB) has invested a large amount and deployed institutions
to offer protection measures, early warning systems, during- and post-hazards relief and
recovery over the past four decades. Although many of the above responses are gender
neutral, the GOB is actively considering gender sensitive responses in its future activities in this
regard. This is timely considering the global frameworks which were agreed in the post-2015
disaster and development policy forums, in particular the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
Reduction 2015-2030, the Sustainable Development Goals, the UNFCCC Paris Agreement22
and the World Humanitarian Summit23
. All of these frameworks have a significant gender focus
which can lay the foundation for national initiatives.
22
https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/l09r01.pdf
23
One humanity: shared responsibility | Report of the UN Secretary-Generalfor the World Humanitarian Summit
http://www.alnap.org/pool/files/secretary-general's-report-for-whs-2016.pdf

8. The gendered disaster risk context
UNICEF’s recent analysis of the situation of children and women in Bangladesh24
presents the
severe barriers to gender equality and women’s empowerment that currently exist. Bangladesh
is ranked 107th in the Gender-related Development Index25
, significantly lower than the global
average, and 115th in the Gender Inequality Index. Overall, Bangladesh is classified as a
country of “high inequity,” with a Gini coefficient of 0.31 (page 10). Nearly 1 in 3 of the country’s
sub-districts, or Upazilas (29 per cent), are classified as “most deprived,” as are nearly 1 in 4
districts; and women’s overall labour force participation, while improving, remains low, at only 36
per cent ().
In recent years26
, the GOB has produced a National Plan on Disaster Management, formulated
a draft Policy on Disaster Management, revised its Standing Orders on Disaster, and enacted its
legal framework for disaster risk reduction. It continues to seek to fulfil promises made through
the Hyogo Framework of Action towards providing DRR services to its citizens. The Bangladesh
Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan has been formulated, complemented by the
establishment of a number of institutions and funds27
to address both adaptation and low carbon
development through the widespread stakeholder engagement. The GOB has received global
praise for its disaster reduction actions and is generally accepted as amongst the best practices
in the world. Yet, despite many successes, the GOB recognizes a number of challenges which
need to be overcome in order to provide adequate services to all citizens towards reducing
hazards and disaster risks and to steer the country’s economy on a low carbon and energy
efficient pathway. The following are identified by Ahmed et al28
as current limitations which
require immediate attention:
 Limited understanding, knowledge and capacity.
 Inadequate management skills at all tiers.
 Adaptation priorities are yet to be set out.
 Inadequate integration of climate risk with development planning and budgeting.
 Weakness in implementation, monitoring and shared learning.
 Limited financing.
 Weaknesses in institutional coordination
 Women are faced with double barriers, fixing their unequal access to resources and
protection of rights to the ownership and management of land and other assets.
Climate change has threatened to intensify poverty and diminish achievements and growth by
affecting livelihoods, access to water and land degradation, women and the poorest are often
affected the most. The climate change situation has impacted on women differently than men.
Their lower status makes them more vulnerable to economic shocks. Women in affected areas
may experience violence, displacement and hunger while facing additional burdens to carry out
24
UNICEF Analysis of the Situation of Children and Women in Bangladesh 2015
25GDI measures expectancy, schoolingand standard of living
26
Ahmed, A.U., 2013. Facing an Uncertain Future Under Global Environmental Change: How Bangladesh Will Address
Vulnerabilities, Centre for Global Change (CGC), Dhaka
27
See source: Ahsan Uddin Ahmed, SaleemulHaq, MahbubaNasreen and Abu WaliRaghib Hassan 2015 Sectoralinputs tow ards
the formulation of Seventh Five Year Plan (2016 – 2021). CLIMATE CHANGE AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT. FINAL REPORT,
January 2015.
28
Ahmed et al 2015 as above

9. their roles as food producers and providers, care-givers, and income earners. The loss of assets
diminishes their adaptive capacity and makes them even more vulnerable.29
‘Bangladesh is a victim of climate change, global emission and environmental pollution.
There is only 13.20 percent of land in Bangladesh having tree cover with density of 30
percent. Access to fresh water is threatened by salinity, levels of arsenic and natural
calamities hampers development and women are affected adversely. The National
Climate Change Action Plan incorporates a multi-pronged approach and the country’s
efforts for climate change mitigation and adaptation has resulted in higher resilience
declining disaster losses. The vulnerability to climate change is different for women, as
their access and control over resources and decision making is lower than those of men.
Women being the majority amongst the poor are affected adversely by disasters and as
household managers they bear additional burden to maintain livelihoods and human
development aspects. The disaster risk reduction efforts of the Government and the civil
society have substantially improved the knowledge, preparedness and recovery from
disaster situation. Women demonstrated considerable strength in the face of adversity
and played critical roles in both adaptation and mitigation of climate change. However,
reducing climate change vulnerability needs substantial additional investment by the
state and at the household level.’30
‘The GOB recognizes that the country is highly prone to a variety of hazards and her
disaster risk reduction needs are amongst the highest in the world. Moreover, the
country and its poor people are most likely to be severely affected by global climate
change, which in turn will exacerbate hazard related adverse impacts. As per GOB
decision, a paper on climate change and disaster risk reduction is perceived to provide
insight into the GOB’s current state of preparation, delivery of services, gaps between
needs and services being provided, and future directions to avoid major adverse
implications of both climate change and disaster risk reduction. Traditions of men’s
priority in regard to ownership and control over the major economic resources remain
stable. Women are rarely the owners of land or immovable property, as in more than
80% of cases land or other kind of property is being registered to men, i.e. husband,
father or son.’31
Inequality in the distribution of resources at the level of land ownership and property control
restricts women’s opportunities in avoiding poverty, particularly through the use of different
loans. Under the conditions of collateral system availability for the disbursement of average and
considerable size loans, women usually rely on small size loans, which do not allow them to
develop sustainable business forms, but meeting daily family needs instead. Irrespective of high
adaptation potential to the new economic and social conditions, women however are limited by
“economy survival” – street market, small business, as well as incur expenses of expanding
production activity within the conditions of household naturalization.
UN Women Bangladesh Over the past four years, has led research and piloted interventions to
increase evidence on how inequality drives vulnerability and determine ways in which a
reduction in gender inequality can lead to a more resilient and empowered community through a
project ‘Reducing Vulnerability of Women Affected by Climate Change through Livelihood
Options’ funded by Royal Norwegian Embassy. Through this gender focused climate change
programme, UN Women has contributed to greater capacity for a gender and rights based
29
Gender equality and w omen’s empow erment: suggested strategies for the 7th five-year plan, 2014
30
Gender equality and w omen’s empow erment: suggested strategiesfor the 7th five-year plan, 2014 page 05
31
VII Five Year plan, climate change and disaster management, 2015 page 7

10. approach to climate change and DRR, including with research institutions, civil society, and
government officials across 32 ministries and departments. Based on research findings,
extensive stakeholder consultations and effectiveness of interventions in climate vulnerable
zones, UN Women and partners have minimized gaps in current DRR knowledge and practice.
UNDP and GOB have also identified gaps in the evidence base on (a) how to effectively
address certain hazards and vulnerable groups (women and girls) and (b) capacity of relevant
agencies. In order to fill these gaps, it is necessary to build human and institutional capacity to
address gendered aspects of vulnerability, improve humanitarian response and support
resilience of women, men and communities.32
At the national level MOWCA should take the lead on gender mainstreaming in CCA/DRR
agenda and actions33
.Institutional structure for women’s empowerment and gender equality had
been in place since late nineties. MOWCA as the main ministry operates through its three
agencies, Department of Women Affairs, JatiyaMohilaShagstha and Bangladesh Shishu
Academy. The National Council for Women’s and Children’s Development (NCWCD, headed by
the PM), several high level committees and WID focal Point mechanism had been in place for
guiding and monitoring women’s advancement. There are limitations of capacity and
effectiveness of these mechanisms. The NCWCD, the highest guiding body has not met
regularly to provide necessary guidance. MOWCA, the nodal ministry for integrating and
coordinating women’s advancement issues has been weak in terms of both technical capacity
and resources. MOWCAcould not effectively in provide technical support to other ministries as
well as lacked authority and expertise to coordinate or supervise other ministries. MOWCAhas
focused more on project implementation and not been given adequate authority to perform the
oversight function of gender mainstreaming. Resources allocated for MOWCA is at times even
less compared to a project in other ministries. The field officers of the Department of Women
Affairs (DWA) are also constrained by low status, capacity and logistics to support women. The
terms of reference (ToR) of the WID Focal Points is not integrated within the ToRs of the
concerned officials. The Committees have neither been able to sit regularly nor have effectively
monitored progress of mainstreaming gender in the sectoral performance. The role of IMED has
been minimal in monitoring gender aspects of development programmes and need
strengthening.34
There is widespread lack of understanding of the concept of gender mainstreaming at the
operational level. Often support for women’s practical benefits without addressing gender
inequality is considered as women’s development. Lack of human resources with technical
knowledge, particularly on sectoral gender issues is a great limitation often hampering
implementation of the strategies and plans. Also it is evident that gender mainstreaming at the
beneficiary level is accepted faster than bringing in changes at the institution levels or in
reforms.
On the other hand, Disasters, crisis somewhat slowed down due to stress owing to some
natural calamities. Though the Government’s policies have helped efficiently in overcoming the
situation, still in some areas women could not recover their loss.
Issues with inadequate attention: Globalization has created new avenues for employment in the
export oriented enterprises and as migrants creating new needs for services and has made
women susceptible to new types of VAW. An assessment of global labour market combined
with skills development and measures for protection from VAW are to be considered for
32
Extracted fromTOR of National consultant
33
Final Evaluation “Reducing Vulnerability of Women Affected by Climate Change through Livelihood Options”
UN Women, BD, page 46
34
UN Women, Assessing the Effectiveness of Gender Responsive Budgeting in Bangladesh, Draft Report, October
2014.

11. planning. The advantage of the rapid change in the landscape of information technology to
women’s benefits is yet to be realized. Also the need for managing violence related to ICT
without curtailing rights to information and opinion has to be considered. Due to male migration
abroad and in other sectors women’s participation in farm based activities and as unpaid family
labour is increasing. Preparing women for this new responsibility with technology and other
support to help them in becoming paid workers, self-employed or reaching to higher levels of
value chain is important. Women’s vulnerability to climate change has been considered in DRR
activities, but initiatives to build their economic and social resilience are inadequate.35
The National Women Development Policy, 2011 that includes disaster-related issues and based
on this, the latest Action Plan was developed in 2013 with the support of UN Women
Bangladesh office. The action plan had a separate chapter on “Safety of women and children at
pre-disaster, during disaster and post-disaster phases” having detailed matrix aimed at attaining
goals related to safety of women and children at different phases in light of national women
development policy 2011 where detailed probable future program and time frame has been
elaborated, those could be incorporated in future programmes to be undertaken by
MOWCA/Ministry of disaster management & relief.
“The lack of enforcement of laws and policies is a grave concern in Bangladesh. Information
and understanding of the legal and policy provisions amongst common women and men is
limited. The complicated and lengthy legal procedures make justice costly and inaccessible for
women and the poor. Social norms also influence the application of legal provisions and at
times hinder fair outcomes. The law enforcers need to be more accountable in timely enforcing
laws related to human rights.”36
As per the Women Development policy of Bangladesh, it is the Department of Women Affairs
and Ministry of Women and Children Affairs’(DWA/MOWCA) responsibility to advocate gender
incorporation in disasters risk reduction where necessary. MOWCA/DWAhas to maintain
coordination with other concerned Ministries and departments. Gender sensitive integrated
disaster management plan should concern research based sex disaggregated data in all levels
like preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation. WID (Women in Development) Focal
Point implementation committee and WID Focal Point coordination committee work on gender-
related issues with other ministries and departments. Vulnerable Analysis Model (VAM) is used
to allocate resources for women. To further increase gender capacity in disaster response, a
better option would be to involve school/college level female students to do volunteer work in
disaster response management. In the 7 divisions of Bangladesh, 529 adolescent clubs exist,
developed by the DWA; each club consists of 30 members of which 20 are girls and 10 are
boys. The fact that a National Helpline Centre to protect women from violence is open for 24
hours need to be shared with women at all levels. Apart from MOWCA/DWA, there are no other
gender experts or female members of other organizations/NGOs represented at the national
level committees/platforms. The DWA has huge national network of offices in all 64 districts and
490 upazillas which ‘s workforce is underutilized for disaster related works.
DWA’s involvement in district and Upazilla level disaster management committees need to be
strengthened to make it more functional and meaningful. DWA and other district and Upazilla
level organizations need to coordinate to more efficiently to reduce risk caused by disasters.
However, the environment is not conducive for women to make decisions or raise concerns.
This is because women may not be prioritized for all types of planning/projects, and therefore
the women themselves step back or hesitate from raising their voices. More importantly, there is
no disaster management budget allocation to women alone. Budget may be allocated/re-
35
VII FYP policy paper 2014 for planning commission, page26
36
Gender equality and women’s empowerment: suggested strategies for the 7th five-year plan, 2014 page 08

12. allocated to separately to meet women’s needs at grass-root level, during and after disasters at
least in identified disaster hotspots or vulnerable districts. The DWAand DDM can strengthen
their collaboration to ensure gender integration at district and Upazilla level DRR mechanism
and implementation of the projects. This might help the local governance system to ensure that
the vulnerable women have access to all social safety net programmes and projects.
‘Lack of family support, women’s lack of political experience, traditional gender roles are
barriers. Elected women representatives of public offices need capability, institutional
support and resources in order to function effectively. Capacity building and mentoring
programmes for women candidates and women elected to public offices as well as
programmes on leadership and negotiation skills for current and future women leaders
should be institutionalized. The proportion of women elected in regular seats has not
progressed as desired. Strong awareness-raising activities for the society as a whole
about the importance of gender equality and women’s participation in political decision-
making, is necessary. Although the numbers of women in local government is
increasing, there are issues around their effectiveness and capacity. Lack of political
apprenticeship and work experience, and social norms make women’s capacity weaker.
The authority of women elected to reserved seats and resources available to them are
not equal to those of the members holding the general seats. Their constituency is three
times larger than that of their male counterparts. As a result, they cannot fully meet the
expectations of their constituencies.’37
Worth mentioning that, DWAworked with the Department of Disaster Management to make it
mandatory for any government sponsor development program/project to write on “women” and
“environment” two different columns with information regarding damage, benefits, etc. However,
these are not filled up with sincerity. A Multi-Hazards Contingency Plan has been drafted by
DWAin collaboration with DDM. It included differentiated roles and responsibilities of women
and DWA. In the meantime, the Standing Order on Disasters (SOD) should be actively followed.
Government of Bangladesh through a development project “Comprehensive disaster
management project, phases I and II “has done a lot towards Professionalization of disaster
management. CDMP has laid the foundations for spread of knowledge about DRR/CCA through
courses and knowledge management systems. Further efforts are needed to standardize and
institutionalize these forms of knowledge transfer. A strategy for reaching the sub-national level
has yet to be devised. After CDMP closed in Dec. 2015, the role of the National Disaster
Management Research and Training Institute (NDMRTI) being established within the
Directorate of Disaster Management (DDM) will be crucial in taking forward initiatives of
CDMP.38
One of the main contributions of CDMP II has been in sensitizing urban authorities on
DRR using a multi-hazard lens focusing on earthquakes, floods, landslides and urban
waterlogging. Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre to increase the advance warning of floods
from three to five-eight days using satellite images. Successful advocacy to get the Ansar and
village defence party (VDP) volunteers to address floods is also a very significant achievement
based on the existence of a well-organized system. The Bangladesh Ansar and VDP volunteers
have a special role in flood-prone areas. Commonly the men go away to find work leaving
women and others with little protection. The volunteers act on behalf of the police to protect
vulnerable people and enjoy strong support from local people. CDMP played a useful role in
extending the coverage of volunteers under the government-supported Cyclone Preparedness
Programme (CPP) to areas that had been previously missed out. In urban areas, the volunteers
37Gender equality and women’s empowerment: suggested strategies for the 7th five-year plan, 2014 page 17
38
Final evaluation report of CDMP-II, Dec 2015

13. who are being trained could play a role similar to CPP volunteers in the event of urban
disasters, including earthquakes which remain a major hazard for cities like Dhaka and
Chittagong. This will require investment developing an institutional framework to support the
volunteers. Further improvements are needed to ensure that flood warning reach the people
specially women affected.
Integration of DRR and CCA in all aspects of DM has largely been achieved in policy terms.
There is greater awareness about DRR and climate change in the country and communities are
aware of the need for DRR and how climate change affects their lives, but significant changes in
practices and capacity are yet to take place. Effort has been directed almost entirely at national
level and there has been little focus or impact at sub-national level. For example, DMCs exist on
paper and become active when there are disasters, are under-resourced, and operate on ad
hoc basis. Risk-informed planning at district or local level still remains a distant aim.
What Has Gone Before
Programmes and policies in Bangladesh promoting or hindering gender and DRR
Bangladesh has had many programmes to reduce disaster impacts and risks over the decades.
A few of these will be referred to below in summary form to discuss aspects that were
successful in attaining gendered outcomes and those which were less so. This is the basis of
learning from the past and identifying promising routes to developing truly gender responsive
resilience (GRR). Because of its significance, in Bangladesh and globally, the section begins
with a discussion of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme for which there are
many evaluations to draw upon.
CDMP
Bangladesh’s flagship Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (Phase I 2004-2009
and Phase II January 2010 – December 2014), has been the stimulus for much change over a
decade or more. The Programme has been evaluated a number of times and many important
successes have emerged. However, gaps remain and gender in particular has had a lower
priority in the Programme than would be hoped.
As we have seen above, disasters in Bangladesh, as in other countries, often kill more women
than men.39
Due to their lack of access to formal employment, the predominance of their
activities in the agriculture sector, and limited access to productive resources, women’s
vulnerability to disaster is particularly high and their coping strategies reduced. Despite women’s
high vulnerability and the fact that SOD lays specific emphasis on gender-sensitive risk-
assessment, CDMP’s project document does not include a section on gender-sensitivity, nor
does the log-frame include specific indicators to measure women’s participation, progress or
achievements as a result of interventions. Accordingly, although there is information about
women as beneficiaries, there is little analysis of how women’s involvement has been promoted.
There are quotas for women’s representation in CRAs, DMCs etc. but these do not necessarily
mean that women’s voices are being heard or that their interests are being reflected in the
course of project activities. CDMP did not apply a gender-responsive approach from the start,
neither did it focus on involving women in decision-making processes around DRR and CCA nor
push forward on ways in which women could achieve leadership roles or at the least make their
voices heard in decision-making, as acknowledged in the Project Completion Report.40
39
Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan (Dhaka,
2013).
40
Final evaluation report of CDMP-II, Dec 2015 page 08

14. The Eminence impact assessment (a study of public perceptions)41
gives a strong indication of
problems relating to the participation of women in decision-making. The assessment
recommends strengthening women’s leadership and enhancing their participation in future
programming. However, there is no record of strategic actions to address these issues. The
Project Completion Report belatedly acknowledges (as the last in a list of 14 ‘critical issues’)
that ‘while CDMP undoubtedly benefitted women and girls, it did not incorporate gender as a
driver in planning, implementation and reporting.’42
At the level of meeting women’s practical needs, CDMP has benefitted women through various
initiatives as shown below.
The gender friendly cyclone shelter guideline: CDMP-II has successfully advocated for the
incorporation of issues in the Cyclone Shelter Construction, Maintenance and Management
Policy 2011 published by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. All the cyclone
shelter construction is expected to include a specific space and toilets for women.
Women benefitted from the rural and urban LDRRF: Total of 37,658 small scale rural risk
reduction interventions directly benefitted 1.38 million men and 1.19 million women (totally 3.48
million people of which direct beneficiaries 2.57 million, indirect beneficiaries 0.91 million).
LDRRF schemes also provided employment for 30,000 female casual workers.43
Gender focused initiative of Department of Women Affairs: as part of the mainstreaming
initiative, training was provided to district and upazila level officers of the Department of Women
Affairs (DWA) on how to address the vulnerabilities of women and ensure equal opportunities in
pre- and post-disaster situations. DWAhas prepared a contingency plan to cope with
earthquake hazards, developed a Disaster Risk Reduction action plan, a Gender Toolkit to
incorporate gender sensitivity in its policies, projects, programs and documents. IEC materials
like posters and leaflets have been developed to raise awareness on the need for gender
sensitivity in disaster response.44
Urban and FFP Volunteers: with regards to the FFP volunteers, every coastal village has a
team of 15 volunteers, including 5 women, responsible for dissemination of early warning,
evacuation to shelters, rescue operations, provision of first aid and implementation of post
disaster relief and rehabilitation operations. In relation to the urban volunteers, out of the 30,000
volunteers trained, 6,970 are women4
. Aside from ensuring women are recruited within the
volunteers, CDMP has not worked on unequal power relationships between men and women.
None of the women the evaluation team met in the FFP or urban volunteer groups were part of
the leadership team of their group.
Thus, although CDMP initiatives did benefit women, the project did not apply a consistent
gender-responsive approach and missed significant opportunities to promote women’s role in
decision-making processes. The specific needs and capacities of women and girls has not
informed disaster management activities. Monitoring and evaluation indicators have not applied
41EminenceAssociates for Social Development, Impact Assessment of Comprehensive DisasterManagement ProgramI
and II, UNDP (Dhaka, 2013).
42
Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Comprehensive DisasterManagement
Programme (2010–2015), Final Project Report (Dhaka, 2015). This says 23 percent of the trained volunteers are women.
43
Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Comprehensive DisasterManagement
Programme (2010–2015), Final Project Report (Dhaka, 2015).
44
Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Mainstreaming DisasterRisk Reduction &
Climate Change Adaptation – Response & Resilience: A Story of Partnership and Participation (Dhaka, 2015).

15. a gender lens so learning on the impact of disasters on women and girls and their potential
contribution to preparedness, response and recovery is not well understood.”45
Recent focus group research by BCAS with communities in Siraigani46
underscores the
variability of outcomes of CDMP and related programmes. For example, BCAS points to the
Department of Women Affairs which has established a Women Training Centre (WTC) and the
Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has employed 850 women on their
damaged and risky road repairing project. This points to some willingness to improve gender
responsiveness but a much more structured and systematic approach is needed here. They
also refer to local NGO staff who support warning message dissemination through courtyard
meetings after which women understand the early warning messages and take necessary
measures (page 4).
Less positively, they discovered examples where there are no special measures to ensure
warning messages reach women on time (page 2); women do not receive early warning
messages or disaster-related information because ‘it is not a practice for women to go out to the
markets or roads where the messages are usually spread’; there is no local or NGO female
member in DDMC; and there is no development or DRR plan to incorporate gender elements.
Clearly there is much work still to be done.
We now turn to a selection of some of the more significant gaps regarding gender
responsiveness in DRR and/or CCA in Bangladesh with reference to other programmes,
projects and documentation.This section is organized thematically rather than by publication.
Seven common threads emerge as necessary to, or problematic for, a gender responsive, risk
informed national resilience strategy: 1) Delinked Programmes and Lack of Collaboration/
Partnership; 2) Sex, Gender and Age Disaggregated Data; 3) Underlying Inequalities or Root
Causes of Vulnerability; 4) Position Women and Women’s Organisations as Active Stakeholders
and Decision Makers; 5) Leadership; 6) Monitoring of National and Local CCA and DRR Efforts;
7) Pervasive Nature of Gender-Based Violence.
1) DELINKED PROGRAMMES AND LACK OF COLLABORATION/PARTNERSHIP
There is a widespread problem of delinked programmes operating (as their parent organisations
or departments do) in silos. UN Women’s 2015 SUMMARY OF RESEARCHFINDINGS
remarks upon ‘the lack of effective communication and strategic collaboration between
institutions… While gender mainstreaming technical expertise exists in other parts of
government machineries, they are often delinked and not always included’. Far better to
mainstream gender perspectives into national, sub-national and community CCA/DRR plans
and strategies rather than creating stand-alone gender policies (page 7).
Establishing regular, joint meetings across Ministries to share inter-ministerial inputs and advice
for upcoming and ongoing projects and activities is one way to support more partnership
working. This would need to establish participatory decision-making and oversight mechanisms
(ensuring the inclusion of MoWCA/DWA) into planning and development mechanisms.
45
Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Bangladesh’s DisasterManagement
Lessons Learned, Reviewing disasters over10 years: 2005–2015 (2015).
46
BCAS 2016a Capacity Building Need Assessment for Gender Mainstreaming in DRR/Resilience Action. (District Level-Draft
Report) District: Sirajganj, BCAS August 2016; BCAS 2016b Capacity Building Need Assessment for Gender Mainstreaming in
DRR/Resilience Action. (Draft Report on Vulnerable Women: Sirajganj) BCAS August 2016

16. But collaboration and partnerships is often missing across the whole machinery of
gender/women’s empowerment: not just within government but between women’s and
grassroots organizations, and between them and gender equality champions and national and
DRR institutions in the development, management, implementation (UN Women 2015). Multi-
sectoral, comprehensive programming is notable by its absence although some programmes
have laid foundations for such a response (JP-VAW page 8).
UN Women’s Humanitarian Strategy 2014-2017 makes similar calls in regard to the
humanitarian sector so that their efforts could be well coordinated, target oriented and
systematic.
UNISDR’s background paper on gender inclusion in what was to become the Sendai
Framework47
identifies the shortcomings of both the Hyogo Framework for Action (the
forerunner to Sendai) and gender integration in development which promoted and relied upon
dedicated institutions, focal points, policies and legislation. However, this approach resulted in
DRR and gender issues being isolated from mainstream development and becoming the
responsibility of a specialized parallel set of institutions. ‘The notable disconnect between the
institutional mechanisms for DRR and the existing mainstream policy and institutional
mechanisms for addressing gender issues, such as women’s development and welfare,
livelihood development, security and protection from violence exemplifies this isolation’ (page
6).
UNICEF remark upon the complex challenges facing Bangladesh but argue that they warrant
‘comprehensive policies and robust implementation over a sustained period of time. This
suggests that an integrated approach to Bangladesh’s development needs among children and
women would best serve the country in many cases’ (page 31).
2) SEX, GENDER AND AGE DISAGGREGATED DATA
Nowhere is the lack of joined up or systematic working clearer than in the failure to collect or
disseminate sex or gender disaggregated data. Most documentation now calls for this or
remarks upon its absence48
. Availability of sex-disaggregated data is the basis of baseline and
assessment of disaster and development results for gender equality and women’s
empowerment. It has been a constant concern that sex disaggregated data for all areas is not
available. Even though data area collected from men and women and can be presented in a
disaggregated manner, often data are presented in general terms. It is critical that all agencies,
field offices and local government institutions, collect and present data in a sex disaggregated
manner, which eventually supports the Government and all to conduct gender analysis and use
them for planning and evaluation Setting up of benchmark and progress review both are critical.
As the Government has recognized a third gender(hjiras), all data should also reflect that
category also. This is why the term gender disaggregated data is preferred over sex
47
Tow ards the Post-2105 Framew orkfor Disaster RiskReduction (HFA2). Women as a force in resilience building, gender equality
in disaster riskreduction, April2014. A Background Paper on gender inclusion in HFA2
http://www.preventionweb.net/documents/posthfa/background_paper_gender_inclusion_in_hfa2.pdf
48
(Summary Asia-Pacific; Gender Equality: Key to Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Action
(G&CCA/DRR/HA); Government of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh, National Women Development Policy 2011, Ministry of
Women and Children Affairs, March 2011; Government of Bangladesh and United Nations Development Programme. NATIONAL
DISASTER RESILIENCE PROGRAMME 2016-2022. Building Resilience for Sustainable Human Development, Draft V6
12/03/2016; Report on Draft Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan for Department of Women Affairs. FinalDraft. Dr.
ShamimMahabubulHaque; GENDER, CLIMATECHANGE AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND RECOVERY STRATEGY-
ASIA PACIFIC 2015-2018; Tow ards the Post-2105 Framew orkfor Disaster RiskReduction (HFA2). Women as a force in resilience
building, gender equality in disaster riskreduction, April2014. A Background Paper on gender inclusion in HFA2; UNICEF 2015)

17. disaggregated data because many people do not identify with the sex they were born into and
choose to be different even though their biological sex remains the same. If analysed by income
group, ethnicity, physical ability or geographical location will provide better information of the
differential needs of women from different groups and locations49
“Adaptation capacity against climate change impacts need [sic] to be augmented
amongst community including women by investing in DRR and building resilience.
Women equally with men should be oriented in dealing with hazards, including forest
conservation to reduce probabilities of landslides and flooding; land use planning to
minimize exposure to hazards; early warning systems and livelihood diversification into
more resilient and empowering occupations. Resources should be allocated for full
implementation of the Climate Change Gender Action Plan of the Government. Women’s
capacity to play effective role in DRR related committees should be strengthened.
Women’s livelihood services should continue to ensure food security (e.g. low gestation
and less water intensive crops, food storage and preservation technology, food
preservation during calamities) amongst vulnerable groups, including climate induced
migrants to urban areas. Providing women with greater access to employment
guarantee schemes, skills development, technology, entrepreneurship support and
training would also help”.50
The 2015 UN Women report: ‘Summary of Research Findings: Addressing Gender Equality
Through Climate Change Action and Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia and The Pacific – Moving
Beyond the Rhetoric’51
presents summary findings of two UN Women-funded gender, climate
change (CC) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) researches in the Asia and the Pacific region.
The purpose of the studies was to provide evidence-based information on the gender impacts of
climate change and disasters, how gender equality is addressed (or not) in climate change and
DRR, and to identify ways of strengthening gender equality and women’s empowerment through
CCA/DRR. It includes a table of disaster fatalities across Asia-Pacific over a number of years52
which show how presenting disaster data in disaggregated form can raise important questions:
Female Fatalities in a Range of Asia-Pacific Disaster Events
1991 Cyclone 0B2- Bangladesh 90%
2004 Tsunami- Aceh-Indonesia 77%
2004 Tsunami- Tamil Nadu India 73%
2008 Cyclone Nargis - Myanmar 61%
2009 Tsunami – Tonga and Samoa 70%
2014 Solomon Island Floods 96% women & children
2015 Nepal Earthquake 55%
For many countries around the world, the differential impact of disasters is unknown; at least in
a quantifiable form. However, as disaggregated data is now a key element in both the SDGs
and the Sendai Framework then it is to be expected that there will be movement on this
important area.
49
Gender equality and w omen’s empow erment: suggested strategiesfor the 7th five-year plan, 2014 page 45
50
Gender equality and w omen’s empow erment: suggested strategiesfor the 7th five-year plan, 2014 page 46
51
2015 UN Women report: ‘Summary of Research Findings: Addressing Gender Equality Through Climate Change Action and
Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia and The Pacific – Moving Beyond The Rhetoric’
52
This is based on anecdotalevidence frompartners w orking in humanitarian response.

18. 3) UNDERLYING INEQUALITIES OR ROOT CAUSES OF VULNERABILITY
Taking into account the underlying inequalities that make women more vulnerable (addressing
strategic interests rather than simply practical needs) is an important point picked up by most
documents reviewed53
. Greig and Pervin54
highlight the structural conditions of gender-based
violence rooted in a:
‘nexus of socio-economic factors structuring the vulnerability of women and girls to
gender-based violence [which] should be understood within the context of a patriarchal
social system, based on patrilocal and patrilineal kinship relations, which entrenches
women’s subordination to men, irrespective of other determinants of social hierarchy,
such as class or ethnicity’ (Page 3).
In its Theory of Change statement, UN Women (no date)55
notes that ifspecific inequities that
increase women’s vulnerabilities are reduced (amongst other things) then women’s disaster
risks will be reduced and poor women will have enhanced resilience to climate change impacts
and disasters, because gender inequality … is a root cause of vulnerability (page 5). UN
Women puts equality front and centre of its mission. While getting acceptance of the logic of
that proposition is the first step, the56
next challenge is to operationalise it. In its National Social
Protection Strategy, the Government of Bangladesh Planning Commission has expressed
strong commitment to reducing inequality alongside reducing poverty and improving human
development. This commitment is reflected in various ways including: Vision 2021, the
Perspective Plan 2010-2021 and in the Sixth Five Year Plan FY11-FY15 amongst others.
However, arguably without dealing with the first common thread above (DELINKED
PROGRAMMES) then thiscommitment will not bear fruit.Strategic guidance is needed to ensure
plans, policies, programmes and project interventions are transformative in their impact, i.e., go
beyond simply meeting women’s practical needs (which are unlikely to make any significant
changes in women’s lives) and address women’s and girls’ strategic long-term interests.
The difference between a girl’s or woman’s practical needs and their strategic interests is an
important distinction to be ingrained in policy and practice. The IASC IASC 2006 Women, Girls
Boys & Men Different Needs – Equal Opportunities’ sets out a clear explanation and some
simple examples:
Women, girls, boys and men have immediate, “practical” survival needs particularly in
humanitarian crises. They also have longer-term “strategic” needs linked to changing the
circumstances of their lives and realizing their human rights. Practical needs of women
may include needs associated with their roles as caretakers, needs for food, shelter,
water and safety. Strategic needs, however, are needs for more control over their lives,
needs for property rights, for political participation to help shape public decisions and for
a safe space for women outside the household, for example women’s shelters offering
protection from domestic violence. Practical needs focus on the immediate condition of
women and men. Strategic needs concern their relative position in relation to each other;
in effect strategic needs are about resolving gender-based inequalities. A girl’s practical
53
(Summary Asia-Pacific; Nielsen 2015 Final Report On Final Project Evaluation - Reducing Vulnerability of Women Affected by
Climate Change through Viable Livelihood Options Submitted by The Nielsen Company (Bangladesh) December 31, 2015; Final
Evaluation: Reducing Vulnerability Of Women Affected by Climate Change through Livelihood Options; Final Evaluation: Reducing
Vulnerability Of Women Affected by Climate Change through Livelihood Options; Programme Document: Joint Programme on
Gender-based Violence Prevention in Bangladesh.
54
Greig and Pervin (2013)
55
Gender Equality: Key to Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Action (G&CCA/DRR/HA)
56National Social Protection Strategy Bangladesh. (NSPS) Third Draft, January 26, 2014. General Economics Division, Planning
Commission Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

19. need for an education can be addressed in a strategic way if that education includes a
rights-based curriculum that expands her horizons and enables her to consider a life
different from one that is predetermined by her gender. A woman’s practical need for
health care can be addressed in a strategic way if it includes access to services giving
her greater control over her reproductive decisions. In the context of radical changes in
people’s lives, loss of livelihoods and changed social roles (when, for instance, women
take sole charge of families), humanitarian interventions can either address people’s
needs in ways that can confirm traditional gender roles or can contribute to greater
gender equality by, wherever possible, addressing strategic needs for changes in gender
relations (page 3).
Returning to the 2015 UN Women report: ‘Summary of Research Findings: Addressing Gender
Equality Through Climate Change Action and Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia and The Pacific –
Moving Beyond the Rhetoric’ report indicates how many of these important points have been
raised before but not actioned; either at all or inadequately.
“Groups that are denied rights to education, food, land, information, among others have
less capacity to cope with climatic changes or recover from disasters. Groups with
unequal access to resources are less able to build assets and resilience. When people
are excluded from decision-making their needs and priorities become invisible.”
This is perhaps a perfect example of a ‘Theory Of No Change’ (TONC) and identifies the key
limiting areas which need to be addressed to reduce disaster vulnerability and build resilience.
However, many lie outside the remit of disaster management agencies. The challenge is to use
disaster events and disaster planning linked to development operations to create opportunities
for change in the root causes of vulnerability and marginalization.
4) POSITION WOMEN AND WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS AS ACTIVE STAKEHOLDERS
AND DECISION MAKERS
Women’s unequal position in society encourages a stereotypical view of them as subordinate
and passively vulnerable, in need of ‘saving’ rather than as equal partners, actively engaged in
decision making before, during and after disaster events and in the every day. UN Women57
,
refers to this demeaning characterisation in terms of ‘the stigma of inequalities’ which must be
removedif transformational change is to be achieved. This must be accompanied by the
increased participation of women (in UDMCs and elsewhere) and the confirmation of their active
role (pages 46-47).
When people are excluded from decision-making their needs and priorities become invisible58
and yet there are examples where this situation has been turned around through appropriate
interventions59
; where women’s decisions have been valued by their husbands and families;
where they have gained the strength to raise their voice against injustices done to them and
fight for their rights and dignity (page 33). This increased decision making power (page 34) has
led to an important reduction in dependency (page 35). Ultimately this should help to save lives
in disasters as women trust their judgement and ability to act. It is hoped a new national
resilience strategy would develop gender equity in decision-making at all levels and remove
57
Women/Nielsen 2015 Final Evaluation: Reducing Vulnerability Of Women Affected by Climate Change through Livelihood Options
58
UN Women 2015 SUMMARY OF RESEARCH FINDINGS: ADDRESSING GENDER EQUALITY THROUGH CLIMATE CHANGE
ACTION AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC – MOVING BEYOND THE RHETORIC
59Women/Nielsen 2015 as above

20. barriers to women's participation60
. UNDP61
has argued that ‘empowering women is not only an
ethical duty in its own right, but is also a rational economic decision’ (page 73). Furthermore,
ensuring women’s full and effective participation ... at all levels of decisionmaking in political,
economic and public life is one of the targets of Goal 5 of the SDGs. While increasing women’s
decision making and stakeholder roles is recognized in most documents, there is a risk that a
simple quota system will ensure their presence but not their voice. Distinguishing mere
presence from attainment of leadership positions is key to advancing women’s social position.
5) LEADERSHIP
Leadership is highlighted in both the SDGs and the Sendai Framework62
and thus there are
already mechanisms through which to advance this agenda.
Examples of where women’s leadership has been facilitated and/or recognized are important
opportunities to provide role models. For example, UN Women/Nielsen’s evaluation of the
programme focused on reducing vulnerability of climate change affected women notes how
within the target groups, one womanwas providedwith leadershipskillstrainingandthen trainedthe
remainingwomenof theirgroup (page 18). UNDP63
report on evaluations showing that women in
leadership positions, facilitated by the programme, have gained economic freedoms and high
levels of empowerment.
It is important to ensure appropriate levels and forms of capacity building and support to
encourage women to successfully adopt leadership positions without which the risk is that
programmes may set women up to fail. Women leaders are not the norm in many communities
and there are many social barriers to overcome to ensure success. One of which, highlighted in
an early draft document on a new National Disaster Resilience Programme in Bangladesh64
, is
to ensure their improved access to information to enhance their resilience and leadership in
disaster management
6) MONITORING OF NATIONAL AND LOCAL CC AND DRR EFFORTS.
How do we know that policies, programmes and projects are doing what they say they will do?
Establishing appropriately rigorous monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems is vital for
accountability, transparency and effectiveness. However, monitoring for gender inclusion,
gender awareness or gender responsiveness (increasingly active going down this list) is rarely
done effectively or even at all.The UNISDR Global Assessment Report 201165
reports little
progress on gender and that gap partly contributed to the (slightly) higher priority given to
gender in the Sendai Framework66
. However, unless there is evidence-based reporting by
member states then it will be very difficult to establish whether progress has indeed been made.
In an analysis of 68 Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects, worth over $4.8 billion, in South
60
Government of Bangladesh and United Nations Development Programme. NATIONAL DISASTER RESILIENCE PROGRAMME
2016-2022. Building Resilience for Sustainable Human Development, Draft V6 12/03/2016
61
UNDP 2016 Africa Human Development Report: Accelerating Gender Equality and Women’s Empow erment in Africa
62
Tow ards the Post-2105 Framew orkfor Disaster RiskReduction (HFA2). Women as a force in resilience building, gender equality
in disaster riskreduction, April2014. A Background Paper on gender inclusion in HFA2
http://www.preventionweb.net/documents/posthfa/background_paper_gender_inclusion_in_hfa2.pdf
63
Re-w riting the Future: Celebrating w omen leadership in the urban slums of Bangladesh
http://www.bd.undp.org/content/bangladesh/en/home/ourperspective/ourperspectivearticles/2016/Re-
w riting_the_Future_Celebrating_women_leadership_in_the_urban_slums_of_Bangladesh.html
64
Government of Bangladesh and United Nations Development Programme. NATIONAL DISASTER RESILIENCE PROGRAMME
2016-2022. Building Resilience for Sustainable Human Development, Draft V6 12/03/2016, page 6
65
UNISDR Global Assessment Report 2011 http://w ww.preventionweb.net/english/hyogo/gar/2011/en/home/gar09.html
66
Tow ards the Post-2105 Framew orkfor Disaster RiskReduction (HFA2). Women as a force in resilience building, gender equality
in disaster riskreduction, April2014. A Background Paper on gender inclusion in HFA2

21. East Asia and Pacific, gender issues were found to be poorly considered. Ninety-three percent
of the GEF projects do not do more than mention gender equality and do not implement
activities that can be monitored and measured67
.
UNICEF’s68
analysis of the women’sand children’s situationin Bangladesh in 2015 listed
embedding effective planning and monitoring (at the local level) as one if its six key crosscutting
and interlinked development themes which emerged as priorities in realising children’s and
women’s rights in Bangladesh during a projected 2017-2021 period.To achieve this outcome, it
is important to establish a rigorous gender M&E system to be applied across ministries,
departments, policies, programmes and projects. Development of standard checklists and
monitoring protocols could begin without delay. Building in-house monitoring capacity
(especially for MoWCA) is also vital because the ability to monitor effectively indicates a proper
understanding of the relevant issues. This is particularly the case if the policy is to move beyond
a focus on women’s (and girls’) practical needs towards meeting their strategic interests.
Systems forgender screening to meet gender compliance standards would go a long way to
closing the gender gaps that are so prevalent.
7) PERVASIVE NATURE OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
Perhaps the clearest indicator of gender inequality is the level of violence perpetrated towards
women and girls across the world. UNICEF69
reports that protection issues for girls and women
in Bangladesh are acute, with safety issues in public spaces and violence against women in the
home by their own husbands essentially help to imprison women in domestic spaces.
Greig and Pervin70
highlight the pervasive nature of gender-based violence in Bangladesh
despite a number of interventions. For example, national level response to violence against
women and girls (VAWG) is overseen by an inter-ministerial committee, supported by Violence
Against Women committees at district, upazila and union levels, together with national-level
cells within the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA) (page 7). This work is
supported by the Multi-Sectoral Programme on Violence Against Women, based within
MoWCA, which ‘works with other ministries to support an impressive infrastructure of survivor-
centred services’ (page 7).
Nevertheless, ‘there continue to be significant problems in terms of ‘translating’ laws and
policies into action ‘on the ground’’ (page 7). An important brake on progress is the unmet need
to change the dominant ideology which passively condones such violence. Focusing on
individual level attitude and behaviour change, while necessary, is insufficient. Rather a
“fundamental transformation in the distribution of power, opportunities, and outcomes for both
men and women" is needed. (page 16). Greig and Pervin recommend an inclusive framework
to address this problem, the “4 I’s” framework, which emphasises the internal, interpersonal,
institutional, and ideological levels at which change is required for the prevention of gender-
based violence.
The “4 I’s” Framework
67
UN Women 2015 SUMMARY
68
UNICEF Analysis of the Situation of Children and Women in Bangladesh 2015
69
UNICEF Analysis of the Situation of Children and Women in Bangladesh 2015
70
Programme Document: Joint Programme on Gender-based Violence Prevention in Bangladesh Prepared by Alan Greig
andShamimaPervin for UNFPA August 2013

22. • “Internal level: change is needed in the deeply held and internalised beliefs and values that
fuel, normalise or tolerate gender violence. Changing these ‘internal’ conditions requires
strategies that not only inform and educate but also move people, personally and collectively,
to challenge entrenched values and beliefs.
• Interpersonal level: change is needed in the ways in which women and men relate to each
other and the practices of male privilege that maintain gender inequalities within interpersonal
relationships, and which fuel, normalise or tolerate gender violence. Changing these
‘interpersonal’ conditions requires strategies that support people in developing new skills for
their interpersonal relationships, which can promote greater equality within such relationships.
• Institutional level: change is needed in the institutional policies, practices and cultures, from
the workplace to the school, that fuel, normalise or tolerate gender violence. Changing these
‘institutional’ conditions requires strategies that not only support institutional leaders, agents
and gatekeepers in processes of change but that also hold them accountable for their
responsibility to change” (page 16).
The SDGs list ‘eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and
private spheres’ as one of the targets of Goal 5 and there is currently a surge in advocacy to
prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG). However, the daily reports of horrific abuse
are evidence of the ongoing reality.
Bangladesh has begun to address this ‘deep rooted barrier for women’s engagement’71
and now
has a Domestic Violence Act72
although there are many issues around the efficacy of such
legislative solutions in the absence of assiduous enforcement and protection. Nevertheless,
project and programme interventions have achieved some success; for example, the evaluation
of the ‘Reducing Vulnerability Of Women Affected by Climate Change through Livelihood
Options’73
programme found domestic violence had been reduced by nearly 32% compared to
the baseline value. Ongoing, longitudinal monitoring of such success stories would enable us to
say that sustainable change had really occurred. As Greig and Pervin74
report, the key is to
create the social conditions necessary for the prevention of gender-based violence (page 14)
and the same is true for the creation of gender equality.
General points
Finally, it is worth extracting at length from the ‘Recommendations and Way Forward’ (pages
10-11) in UN Women’s 2015 Summary report75
which provides some useful examples that could
be incorporated into any new strategies. For example:
Under ‘Knowledge Generation and Management’ it highlights:
71
Tow ards the Post-2105 Framew orkfor Disaster RiskReduction (HFA2). Women as a force in resilience building, gender equality
in disaster riskreduction, April2014. A Background Paper on gender inclusion in HFA2
http://www.preventionweb.net/documents/posthfa/background_paper_gender_inclusion_in_hfa2.pdf
72
National Social Protection Strategy Bangladesh. (NSPS) Third Draft, January 26, 2014. General Economics Division, Planning
Commission Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
73
UN Women 2015 Final Evaluation: Reducing Vulnerability Of Women Affected by Climate Change through Livelihood Options
74Programme Document: Joint Programme on Gender-based Violence Prevention in Bangladesh Prepared by Alan Greig
andShamimaPervin for UNFPA August 2013
75UN Women 2015 Summary Of Research Findings: Addressing Gender Equality Through Climate Change Action And Disaster
Risk Reduction In Asia And The Pacific – Moving Beyond The Rhetoric

23.  The need for investment in the collection, analysis, application, and management of sex
and age disaggregated data at regional, national and community levels in order to make
visible differential impacts of climate change and disasters;
 More holistic understandingof hazard analysis, disaster risk assessments, social and
vulnerability assessments and gender analyses;
 Closure of specific knowledge gaps and on changing social dynamics (eg between climate
change and rural-urban migration, child marriage and SGBV);
 Improvement in the collation, dissemination and sharing of information, best practice
and lessons learned on gender, climate change and DRR among governments, donors,
CSOs, gender experts and researchers through south-south exchange.
In addressing policy, legislation, implementation and practice it demands:
 Continued technical support in mainstreaming gender equalityinto CCDRR policy-
making but also actioninggender equality priorities;
 Mainstreaming gender perspectives into national, sub-national and community CCDRR
plans and strategies rather than creating stand-alone CCDRR-gender policies;
 Gender responsive budgeting;
 Green economyopportunities for women in private and public sectors;
 Equal access to information, including early warning;
 Taking into account the underlying inequalities that make women more vulnerable.
Under ‘Climate Change and DRR Institutional Arrangements’ itlists:
Sustainedcapacity development of national women’s machineries to bring about
transformation;
Mechanisms for holding decision-makers accountable that are gender-responsive.
Finally, under ‘Women’s Participation and Leadership in Climate Change and DRR’, it refers to:
 The need to position women and women’s organisations as active stakeholders and
decision makers;
 With participatory decision-making and oversight mechanisms;
 Collaboration and partnerships between women’s and grassroots organizations, gender
equality champions and national and DRR institutions in the development, management,
implementation
 Monitoring of national and local CC and DRR efforts.
Just a handful of these recommendations, if implemented, would make a significant change in
the gender equality landscape in Bangladesh.
One project with some notable successes, some of which have already been referred to, was
the project, “Reducing Vulnerability of Women Affected by Climate Change through Livelihood
Options”76
which was launched by UN Women in December 2011. This initiative was supported
by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka and its two implementing partners were BRAC and
Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS). The goal of the project was to ensure that
76
Nielsen 2015 Final Report On Final Project Evaluation - Reducing Vulnerability of Women Affected by Climate Change through
Viable Livelihood Options

24. women in communities vulnerable to the impact of climate change have access to sustainable
livelihoods and are agents of change in climate change risk mitigation policy.
The project was successful in many important ways including:
 Climate vulnerable women have made some positive changes in their livelihoods
through generating and increasing income, acquiring more knowledge and preparing for
future disasters.
 The women are more mobile than before and have gained in confidence after engaging
in income earning activities.
 The annual average income of households has increased significantly after the
programme intervention.
 They have learned to raise their voice against injustices done to them, such as violence
against women, and are able to fight for their rights and dignity.
 There was an important reduction in dependency whereby fewer women now depend on
the help of the male members of the family but instead look after themselves and their
family during disaster.
Less successful were:
 Inadequate amelioration regarding the issue of women’s empowerment and gender
discrimination.
 The lack of any drastic change in women’s decision making roles on major issues.
The evaluation makes a number of suggestions for improvements amongst which is:
 Government should be encouraged to incorporate gender perspectives into their national
policies, action plans and other measures on sustainable development and climate
change, through systematic gender analyses; sex and age disaggregated data;
establishing gender-sensitive benchmarks and indicators; and developing practical tools
to support increased attention to gender perspectives.
Which provide a useful list to begin any strategy. While the project was regarded by the
evaluators as exemplary for other government and private organizations to take similar
initiatives, the report says: “the sustainability of the project depends on how efficiently target
women utilize their knowledge, skills and livelihood support received through this project”. This
conclusion will effectively blame the women if they do not achieve sustainability when it is the
context in which they attempt this that must be considered. For example, if there has not
been a change in women’s decision making role (as mentioned above) then this indicates there
must still be resistance; even the possibility of backlash and these must be acknowledged and
acted upon.
Conclusions
The foregoing discussion illustrates why gender issues must be integrated into all disaster risk
management policies, plans and decision-making processes, risk assessments, early warning,
information management and education and training. Budgetary allocations also need to be
increased to achieve the objective of gender equality in DRR and the everyday77
. Further work
needs to be done to explore and document how women cope and adapt as a result of climate
77
PC 2015

25. change and disasters and identify how this unpaid work contributes to community resilience
across Bangladesh78
. As governments and donors increasingly target women in their programs
on community based climate change adaptation79
, more attention needs to be brought to the
gender dimensions of climate change and disaster in Bangladesh, in order to identify and
reduce gender based inequalities and build a resilient population80
.
Ensuring Inclusivity
Typically, reports, policies and other documentation uses the neutral sounding word ‘people’ in
an attempt to be inclusive of everyone without having to list them, or simply because they have
not thought through any gendered implications and are therefore ‘gender blind’. If particular
social groups are not mentioned, then it is easy to forget their needs or interests. Although it
may sound clumsy or even tiresome to keep listing groups, at the earliest stages of changing
attitudes it is important to include the reminders.
Social Group
Furthermore, while mentioning ‘women’, ‘girls’ or ‘people with disabilities’ as examples of
particular social groups often invisible in disaster planning and response, it is important to
recognise that each group is in itself very diverse. Not all women are the same and what works
for one group of women may not work for another. For example, just saying ‘women’ might lead
to the production of inappropriate documents that are not accessible to women who are illiterate
or those who are blind.
Men and Boys
Additionally, although women are inevitably the major focus of gender responsive initiatives
because of their consistent and longstanding marginalisation and inequality (globally), men and
boys must be included in gender policies and actions for a number of reasons: because, in
some contexts, they are more at risk than are women and girls; because their exclusion can
stimulate a backlash against women and girls as identified beneficiaries; and because ‘gender’
refers to the social relations between men and women and it necessary to understand these
dynamics as part of a successful all of society approach.
Key Aspects of a Gender-Responsive National Resilience Strategy
No single group or organization can address every aspect of DRR. DRR thinking sees disasters
as complex problems demanding a collective response. Co-ordination even in conventional
emergency management is difficult, for many organizations may converge on a disaster area to
assist. Across the broader spectrum of DRR, the relationships between types of organization
and between sectors (public, private and non-profit, as well as communities) become much
more extensive and complex. DRR requires strong vertical and horizontal linkages (central-local
relations become important). In terms of involving civil society organizations, it should mean
thinking broadly about which types of organization to involve (i.e., conventional NGOs and such
organizations as trades unions, religious institutions, amateur radio operators (as in the USA
and India), universities and research institutions).
Traditionally, emergency management/civil defence thinking makes two misleading assumptions
about communities. First, it sees other forms of social organization (voluntary and community-
based organizations, informal social groupings and families) as irrelevant to emergency action.
Spontaneous actions by affected communities or groups (e.g., search and rescue) are viewed
78
(Nasreen, 2015)
79
(UN Women, 2014)
80
(PC, 2015).

26. as irrelevant or disruptive, because they are not controlled by the authorities. The second
assumption is that disasters produce passive ‘victims’ who are overwhelmed by crisis or
dysfunctional behaviour (panic, looting, self-seeking activities). They therefore need to be told
what to do, and their behaviour must be controlled — in extreme cases, through the imposition
of martial law. There is plenty of sociological research to refute such 'myths'.
An alternative viewpoint, informed by a considerable volume of research, emphasizes the
importance of communities and local organizations (many of which are led by or have significant
numbers of, women) in disaster risk management. The rationale for community-based disaster
risk management that it responds to local problems and needs, capitalizes on local knowledge
and expertise, is cost-effective, improves the likelihood of sustainability through genuine
‘ownership’ of projects, strengthens community technical and organizational capacities, and
empowers people by enabling them to tackle these and other challenges. Local people and
organizations are the main actors in risk reduction and disaster response in any case. Women’s
existing contributions in this field must be made more visible.
Bangladesh’s people are the engine of its future growth. If people’s opportunities for productive
employment or their ability to gain financially rewarding skills are blocked, then the future growth
of Bangladesh society will be blocked also. Females are around 50% of the population and
could make an even greater contribution to the country’s growth than they already do (often in
unpaid care and domestic work). Women’s childrearing work safeguards the future workforce
but opportunities must be available for women who want to work as well or instead on income
earning enterprises outside the home. Gender balance in parenting and domestic duties means
support for men is necessary too. In order to achieve gender equality in Bangladesh, it is
necessary to pass through a gender equity stage wherein targeted support is made available to
meet existing shortfalls. Usually this differential support will be directed at women and girls but
sometimes it will be necessary to support men and boys as well.

27. Documents Reviewed for this Report
ADB 2006 “Country assessment of gender situation” Asian Development Bank, Republic of
Tajikistan, 2006 http://www2.adb.org/Documents/Translations/Russian/Reports/TAJ-
CGA-RU.pdf
ADB 2006 “Introduction of gender approaches in Poverty Reduction Strategies”. Asian
Development Bank, 2006.
Ahsan Uddin Ahmed, SaleemulHaq, MahbubaNasreen and Abu WaliRaghib Hassan 2015
sectoral inputs towards the formulation of seventh five-year plan (2016 – 2021) climate
change and disaster management FINAL REPORT, January 2015
Angulo-Torlund, Ana Cristina 2008 “Gender Perspectives: Integration of Disaster Risk
Reduction into Climate Change Adaptation” UNO, 2008
Anon (no date) Disaster Management Act of Bangladesh: What changes are transpiring?
Anon (no date) Tool For Assessing Capacity And Needs Of Individual/Community Level
(Vulnerable Women) For Gender Mainstreaming In DRR/Resilience Agenda. (Adapted
from FAO’s Guide for Disaster Risk Management Systems Analysis, 2008)
Anon (no date) Tools For Assessing Capacity Building Needs Of Local Level Government
Officials For Gender Mainstreaming In DRR/Resilience Actions. (Adapted from FAO’s
Guide for Disaster Risk Management Systems Analysis, 2008)
Anon Disaster Management Act of Bangladesh: What changes are transpiring?
Asia Pacific Forum on Women 2008 Guidelines for Gender Sensitive Disaster Management:
Practical Steps to Ensure Women’s Needs are Met And Women’s Human Rights are
Respected and Protected,
Bangladesh National Women’s Development policy, 2011
BCAS 2016 Capacity Building Need Assessment for gender mainstreaming in DRR/resilience
Actions. Draft report: District level, Rajshahi. Bangladesh Centre For Advanced Studies
for UN Women Bangladesh
BCAS 2016 Capacity Building Need Assessment for Gender Mainstreaming in DRR/Resilience
Action. (Draft Report on Vulnerable Women: Rajshahi). Bangladesh Centre For
Advanced Studies for UN Women Bangladesh
BCAS 2016 Capacity Building Need Assessment for Gender Mainstreaming in DRR/Resilience
Action. (District Level-Draft Report) District: Sirajganj. Bangladesh Centre For Advanced
Studies
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Action. (Draft Report on Vulnerable Women: Sirajganj). Bangladesh Centre For
Advanced Studies
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strategies for the 7th five-year plan, general economics division planning commission,

28. Government of Bangladesh December 2014 http://www.plancomm.gov.bd/wp-
content/uploads/2015/02/16_Gender-Equality-and-Womens-Empowerment.pdf
Berger, Eldry L. 2008 “Gender and reconstruction after natural disasters: Analysis of gender
perception and intervention after the earthquake in Pakistan”, Norway 2008
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Bradshaw, Sarah 2004 “Socio-economic impact of natural disasters: gender analysis” Guidance
Series, Santiago, Chile, May 2004
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address Gender Equality, March 2014.
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http://www.cifor.org/publications/pdf_files/brief/GenderClimateBriefs.pdf
DuryogNivaran 2014 Towards post 15 agenda for DRR, report of the consultation in Asia and
Pacific, Feb 2014
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%20Women%20and%20Gender%20equality%20in%20DRR.pdf
Ending Violence Association of BC (no date) It Could Happen to Your Agency! Tools for
change—Emergency Management for Women. http://endingviolence.org/publications/it-
can-happen-to-your-agency-tools-for-change-emergency-management-for-womens-
services/
GDN 2005 Gender and disaster sourcebook: a sampler, PERI, 2005 www.gdnonline.org
GEF 2016 Time To Adapt: Insights From The Global Environment Facility’s Experience In
Adaptation To Climate Change
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Disaster Management & Relief Division
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Republic of Bangladesh
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for Sustainable Human Development. Draft V6 12/03/2016. United Nations Development
Programme

29. Government of Bangladesh 2010 Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh National
Plan for Disaster Management 2010-2015
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Women Development Policy
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management programme
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based Violence Prevention in Bangladesh
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Innovations
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and-innovations/f2_GROOTS_Web.pdf?download
GROOTS, 2007 Building better futures: empowering grassroots women to build resilient
communities Global Protection Cluster (no date) GBV Area of Responsibility
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GiHA_2_Web.pdf

30. IASC Gender Reference Group https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/gender-and-
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31. Rodina 2015 Action plan for further engendering DRR integration into Disaster risk reduction
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For Gender Mainstreaming In DRR/Resilience Agenda. (Adapted from FAO’s Guide for
Disaster Risk Management Systems Analysis, 2008)
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Mainstreaming In DRR/Resilience Actions. (Adapted FromFao’s Guide for Disaster Risk
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