ISSUES FACING WOMEN AFTER DISASTERS

HOUSING
Evacuation voluntary?
Affordable housing for low-income women?
Clean-up, repair, and rebuilding help targeting women heading households?
Access to housing loans?
Input into reconstruction policies?

TRANSPORTATION
Access to public transportation in temporary accommodations?
Access to family transportation?
Key services on public transportation routes?

INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT

Accessible child care available for employed mothers? Family child care providers supported?
Child care for women workers in response roles? Family/work concerns of volunteers addressed?
Family-friendly work policies allowing leave and support during clean-up and rebuilding?
Home-based jobs disrupted or destroyed? Women-owned businesses at risk?
Access to nontraditional work and training during reconstruction?
Equity in credit and loans during rebuilding, relocation, and recovery?
Continuity of income support through nonprofits, crisis agencies, government programs?
Long-term economic impacts monitored by gender?
Legal services available in disputes over relief money?

DEPENDENT CARE
Child care available to help women prepare, access relief resources, relocate, and rebuild?
Respite care for long-term caregivers during recovery?
Continuity of health care services to women caring for ill or disabled dependents?

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

Appropriate health care services in temporary accommodation?
Mental health workers trained in gender violence issues?
Reproductive health services available in temporary accommodation?
Counseling, support groups, and respite care for women victim/survivors and women responders?
Long-term recovery assistance anticipated?

VIOLENCE
Increased physical, emotional, or sexual violence?
Access to safe evacuation space? Priority attention to women and children in shelters?
Continuity of services to women at risk? Increased services loads anticipated?

ACCESS TO RELIEF RESOURCES

Provision for women with children coming to relief and recovery sites?
Assistance to complex households with multiple household heads?
Transportation, work release, and child care available?
Physically accessible sites with culturally diverse materials?
Long-term recovery services to caregivers available?

FULL PARTICIPATION IN DISASTER DECISION-MAKING

Women’s specific needs identified? Relief monies monitored for gender impacts?
Community meetings scheduled to facilitate women’s participation? Child care provided?
Most vulnerable women sought out and included on recovery projects?
Women’s voices heard in all aspects of disaster recovery and mitigation initiatives?

July, 2005. Feedback to Elaine Enarson [eenarson@earthlink.net]