Gender in Emergencies

Gender
in
Emergencies

When disaster strikes, women are hit the hardest.

Credit: Coco McCabe/Oxfam

Every year, millions of people are displaced from their homes, almost half are women.

Natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes and droughts, as well as conflict and war, put millions in urgent need of clean water, food and shelter. These disasters also threaten women's safety and health in unique ways.

In emergencies, we meet urgent needs to save lives, but also look at long-term solutions to restoring womens' livelihoods, health, safety and leadership. Women are often left out of critical decisions that affect them, like how food, water, and medicine are distributed, and even where to build the toilets. It's time to change that.

Why gender in emergencies?

From 2016-2017, Oxfam responded to 31 emergencies worldwide, providing 8.6 million people with life-saving assistance.

Refugee women are doubly vulnerable to sexual violence

Women make up only 3% of UN military peacekeepers

In every emergency situation, women and children are exposed to higher risks and levels of vulnerability than any other group of people. In such situations, women’s rights organizations respond first before any other, become the safe zone for these suffering women and always strive to restore hope in their lives and give them a new meaning of life even after emergency situations.

Ritah Nansereko
Executive Director of African Women and Youth Action for Development (AWYAD)

What is Oxfam Doing?

We work with local partners to listen to and meet the unique needs of women and girls.

Women-led Design

Designing programs for women, with women and women's rights organizations.

Power

Putting power back in women's hands in times of crisis.

Local Knowledge

Taking direction from local humanitarians who tell us what is needed for the long term.

Amina's Story

Running from War

Amina is a refugee from South Sudan who fled conflict to Uganda.

How we Respond

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

It's easy to forget what a miracle water is. We drink it. We wash our hands and cook our food in it. Water is Life.

Learn more

Food and Sustainable Livelihoods

The world produces more food today than at any time in history. Yet one in eight people go to bed hungry every night. In developing countries, the hungry are often farmers and mostly women.

Learn more

Protection: Helping people stay safe

Oxfam's protection work within emergency response, helps people understand and access their rights while advocating for Government intervention.

Learn more

Disaster Risk Reduction

Oxfam works with communities on disaster risk reduction, helping to anticipate and prepare for the most common kinds of events, and prevent or mitigate the worst impacts.

Learn more

Featured Stories

Emergency Response

Let’s end period poverty. For good.

by Paula Baker | May 28, 2019

How do you talk about your period? Sure, menstruation may not be a common topic amongst friends on a Friday night but when it does crop up — do you hit on things like your mood swings, cramping or food cravings? What about issues around buying tampons or pads? Or not having enough? Or not having access to them at all?

Emergency Response, Natural Disasters

Five things to know about Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe

by Oxfam Canada | April 12, 2019

Cyclone Idai has caused widespread destruction and left communities in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi in urgent need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.