Page 20 - IB MAR 2017

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Women ... aaaa
How Cyclone Wi nston left us exposed

By Sharon Bhagwan Rolls

THE successive natural disasters that im- A woman
and her
pacted the Fiji Islands in the first months daughter in
of 2017 are a clear signal of the future – the remains
greater climate unpredictability, persistent of what was
once their
droughts and stronger cyclones, resulting home in the
in more complex and frequent humanitar- aftermatch
ian emergencies. Increasingly, complex of Cyclone
Winston.
and frequent disasters are confronting an Photo: File
existing humanitarian system of response
that is not properly prepared to cope.
What is required is more transformative,
gender-inclusive agenda for humanitar-
ian response which will ensure the rights
and specific needs of women and girls to be an effective local and women-led tool achieving security and dignity, the feeling
in all their diversities affected by natural for disaster management. of empowerment, self-worth, freedom and
disasters and humanitarian emergencies The support also meant that fem- autonomy.
are addressed in national plans, strategies LINKpacific continued its humanitarian This means ensuring safety and secu-
and responses - including disaster risk response and protection activities through rity for women and girls of all diversities
reduction policies. disaster assessments conducted by rural in their homes and evacuation centres as
Additionally, women should not only women network leaders during monthly well as in the process of recovery when
be portrayed as victims of natural disas- district meetings in 14 districts and three women are more vulnerable to exploita-
ters and climate change. Rather, they are National Consultations on Women, Peace, tion because essential resources such as
equal partners in designing strategies and and Security in humanitarian crises. food and water are scarce.
agreements on how to tackle related issues At the National Consultations, the “Psycho-social support and rehabilita-
As we reflect on the year since Sever women represented from across the Cen- tion must support women to share their
Tropical Cyclone (TC) Winston, it is time tral, Western and Northern divisions of the stories experiences, reflections and les-
for reaffirming women as first-responders. Fiji Islands as well as from various stake- sons learned,” outlined Adi Vasulevu of
It is also a time for government to not just holder groups including from LGBTIQ, dis- Transcend Oceania and femLINKpacific’s
commit, but highlight how they will work ability and young women’s organisations. convenor in the Northern Division. “Their
with women’s civil society to meet the Across all consultations, including round inclusion is key as they are still trauma-
representation targets in decision making two divisional consultations in 2016, tized from the crisis!”
processes. women identified food security, personal The disaster management system must
Since TC Winston, femLINKpacific has security and economic security as their also get better at collecting and com-
and continues to undertake key com- most urgent protection issues. municating Gender Inclusive Data. That
munity-led protection and humanitarian Specifically, a core group of women lead- means ensuring that sex, age, disability
response activities. With the support of ers from 71 communities were mobilised and sexual orientation gender identity
partners and allies including ActionAid and supported to participate in 84 district and expression disaggregated data is col-
Australia, the Australian Department of consultations, 6 divisional consultations lected, reported and analysed at all times.
Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and and 3 national consultations. It can also be a practical way forward to
the International Women’s Development They shared and received information collaborate with women’s human rights
Agency (IWDA), femLINKpacific scaled that is resulting in women-led prepared- groups and networks who are already
up its Women’s Weather Watch (WWW) ness and response in Fiji. This provided working to ensure the participation of
campaign - a gender inclusive innovative support to the women leaders to communi- women at all levels of decision-making
method to increase women’s access to cate how and why the day-to-day barriers including in emergency and recovery.
information through community radio and challenges to women’s participation “Without (an) updated database from
and other media. are heightened during natural disasters the communities, we would not be sure of
Activated immediately following TC Ula, because, when women are not in the de- what the humanitarian assistance (would
femLINKpacific utilised its community me- cision making processes, there is greater be for specific populations),” explained
dia network to track approaching weather likelihood that they ideas as well as their Fane Boseiwaqa, femLINKpacific’s rural
systems and disseminate information priorities are not included. convenor and correspondent in the West-
and early warning messages to 150 rural A key message from the WWW strategy ern Division. “Information and collection
women leaders. since 2016 has been to take a women’s of data is really important because we are
The key to the WWW success is the act human security and protection approach. able to identify why, how many people
of translating scientific weather jargon in Layered on the concept of protection are living with disabilities, the pregnant
local and accessible language and proved the key ideas and safety, the condition of mothers, the children so in terms of hav-

20 Islands Business, March 2017