Purpose

This note looks at the challenges women with disabilities face in disasters and highlights the importance of knowing these challenges.

Overview

More women than men live with physical and/or mental conditions which, in a disability-hostile environment, limit their everyday activities.

Interacting gender dynamics magnify the effects of disability on women and reduce the services needed to live as independently as possible.

Disasters compound the social effects of disability, especially for girls and women who face other barriers.

Women who live with disabilities are also active earners, caregivers and activists in human rights campaigns.

Usage: Guidance for project implementation

Audiences: Technical staff; Gender and diversity practitioners

Reference: Enarson, E. (November 2009).  Women, Gender & Disaster: Abilities & Disabilities . Gender and Disaster Network. Pp. 1-4. Available from: https://www.gdnonline.org/resources/GDN_GenderNote4_Abilities.pdf [Accessed: 15th July 2016].