Gender and women’s networks around the world appealed for a gender-sensitive approach to the Haitian earthquake. Below are some links to news, solidarity statements issued by women’s groups, and resources for humanitarian and emergency responders:

SOLIDARITY STATEMENTS

GDN reaching out — how can we help?

Deklarasyon AWID sou kriz imanitè ann Ayiti apre Tranblemandtè janvye 2010 lan
Statement on Haiti issued by The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID)

Rekòmandasyon sou politik Kowalisyon Entènasyonal Fanm Defansè Dwa Moun (Creole)
Policy recommendations from the International Coalition of Women’s Human Rights Defenders (English)

RESOURCES

Gender and Disaster Network

Gendering DRR — Resources for emergency responders and humanitarian workers
Reducción del Riesgo de Desastres con Enfoque de Género. Recursos Claves

NEWS

Tens of thousands of pregnant women at risk

After the quake, depend on women

Haiti earthquake situationer reports

Haiti’s children most vulnerable after massive quake - aid agencies

An Open Letter to UNIFEM Director Ines Alberdi and other emergency responders in Haiti

Dear Colleagues:

I wish you all the best with your meeting today and wish I was there.  CAFRA now has two members (from the French and Creole-speaking islands) in Haiti and they have been sending the usual disturbing accounts of the situation there, after meeting with many of our Haitian members who survived the earthquake.  Some of the most critical points to raise with Director Ines Alberdi are as follows:

1)  Please let her know that there are many areas where distribution of aid is not reaching women and children. They pointed out to the lack of respect for the dignity of victims because of the way victims are allowed to run and walk long distances to get relief.  Those who survive the long lines are sometimes given only one bottle of water and asked to share it.  They point to a major calamity faced by grass roots women who are the worst affected in this scenario.  Areas like Cite Soleil, Croix-des-Bourgetts and Jacmel are some examples.  In some areas, there is still a major rush for supplies, which places women and girls at risk.

2)  They came across women who are literally dying because of the lack of medical supplies and in some cases no refrigeration for critical medication required for diabetes etc.  They pointed to several perfectly treatable conditions which are now life threatening because of the situation.  Pregnant women are especially at risk and something needs to be done urgently about the situation.  Because there are so many women and children who are unable to move because of injuries, disability etc. something needs to be done to reach out to them where they are

3)  The increase in rape and sexual abuse in the camps is frightening and needs to be addressed urgently.  Our members met with some of the victims but they are generally reluctant to report it.

Regards,

Flavia

———

Flavia Cherry is the Interim Chairperson and National Representative for Sta. Lucia of CAFRA (Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action). She also shared the following photos and text showing the chaotic queues for food and supplies leaving women injured in the process:

In Haiti, the lack of respect for human dignity and basic human rights standards is astounding

They leave people without food for days and then throw the relief supplies in all directions, so that desperately hungry people can fight for it. Women who dare to get food for their children are crushed in the struggle.

Women can hardly survive this indignity for food supplies.

It is always the women who are least able to survive the long and agonizing hours on the lines

Some improvements have been made but even when they provide supplies for women only, in most places, they make no effort to create orderly lines, but instead they create a mass of confusion with desperately hungry women pushing each other against barbed wire, to get food for themselves and their children.

This is not only genocide, it is racism in its purest form.

(Photos are from CAFRA)

Links from Flavia’s other reports:

http://www.creative-i.info/2010/02/05/haiti-from-the-front-lines-by-flavia-cherry/

http://www.normangirvan.info/cherry-it-is-genocide-flavia-cherry/

http://womenoftheafricandiaspora.com/2010/02/02/from-the-front-lines-flavia-cherry/

On December 10th 2009, the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB), the team behind the Adaptation Fund (AF), in the Conference of Parties (COPs)-15 tried to address the concerns by the parties and civil society around the adaptation funding mechanisms.

AFB has made it clear that incoming funding for the Adaptation Fund would not be diverted from the Official Development Assistance (ODA) rather a legally-binding separate funding arrangement, would be created. The funding regime for the AF is something parties would be working on before the end of the COPs- 15.

The concerns of civil society on the Global Environment Fund (GEF) handling the AF have also been noticed. According to the AFB team, a separate mechanism, though under GEF, would be responsible for the disbursement of the funds and efforts would be made to make it efficient. Lessons from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) would also be considered.

Adaptation fund would be accessible by National Implementing Entities (NIE). NIE will be the ‘legal entities nominated by Parties that are recognized by the Board as meeting the fiduciary standards established by the Board’. Along with NIE, Multilateral Implementing Entities (MIE) will also be there. MIE can be the Multilateral Institutions and Regional Banks that meet the fiduciary standards provided by the Board. In case the party is unable to set NIE, MIE mechanism can be used to access the funds. NIE or MIE will ‘bear the full responsibility for the overall management of the projects and programs financed by the AF and will bear all financial, monitoring, and reporting responsibilities’.

Civil society feels that AF is a step in the right direction but it still has some underlying issues:

The chair of the AFB has requested for billions of dollar annually to meet the adaptation needs of the most vulnerable. World leaders in the COP-15 are working towards a decision regarding the AF. Civil society is pushing for a mechanism based on equality and human rights instead of some market system underlying the principles of give and take and something as complex as CDM.

Another concern which has come to the forefront is the role of civil society in accessing the resources from the AF. The resources would only be channelled by the MIE/NIE. Keeping in mind the mistrust which exists between governments and the civil society, this may negate the role of civil society in the adaptation process. Here we have to keep in mind that the civil society, especially in the developing world, plays a very important role in working with the communities on adaptation issues.

To meet the adaptation needs of the CC vulnerable groups, billions of dollars annually would be required. As shared by the AFB, so far they are not very sure about the criteria for the selection of projects, but this is something which is to be directed towards the most vulnerable, least developed and small island countries. Civil society fears that AF may not be able to streamline a criteria by March 2010. In March 2010, AF is looking for the first round of adaptation proposals.

I’m closely following the adaptation text and the decisions around it and hoping that by December 19th 2009, I will have something positive to report back.

Maira
Dec 16, 2009
Hopenhagen

The Adaptation Fund (AF) with an overall goal to support concrete ‘adaptation activities that reduce the adverse effects of climate change facing communities, countries, and sectors’ is a result of negotiations in Bali during COP-13. The criteria for projects under adaptation fund will be level of vulnerability, level of urgency and risks arising from delay, ensuring access to the fund in a balanced and equitable manner, lessons learned in project and programme design and implementation to be captured, securing regional co-benefits to the extent possible, where applicable, maximizing multi-sectoral or cross-sectoral benefit and adaptive capacity to the adverse effects of climate change. Two type of funding would be available i.e. small-size projects and programmes (proposals requesting up to $1 million); and regular projects and programmes (proposals requesting over $1million). The AF will be only funding projects endorsed by the requesting government.

According to the Chair of the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB) hundreds of billions dollars would be required annually to meet the Climate Change (CC) adaptation requirements of the world. So far the funding mechanism of AF i.e. by the monetization of certified emission reductions (CERs), will produce around 500 million USD till 2012. Considering that the catering of CC adaptation needs would require a lot of attention in 2012 post scenario, mere 500 million USD would be opening another set of issues.

Apart from the funding, parties like India, Bangladesh, Nigeria etc along with the civil society has serious concerns regarding Global Environment Fund (GEF) handling the adaptation funds. In explicit terms it has brought out that instead of GEF, which has a non-proven track record, let there be an independent body to handle the adaptation funds.

Parties like Germany are trying to convert their Offical Development Assistance (ODA) into the adaptation funds. Serious voices of concern have been raised in COP-15 around the issues.

Above mentioned issues were raised by Gender CC on December 9th, 2009, in a statement at the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP). GenderCC in its statement also showed its concerns regarding the gender neutral procedures of the adaptation fund.

Statement would be soon available at the web site of GenderCC (http://www.gendercc.net).

Maira
09 December 2009
Copenhagen

Approximately 25,000 people representing parties, academia, research groups, civil society, media , etc are gathered in Hopenhagen, the name given to Copenhagen till December the 19^th to negotiate a future for the next generations. In the words of Mr. Lars Lokke Rasmussen, prime minister of Denmark,  ‘it’s no more men in dark suits sitting in dark rooms’  debating around climate induced issues anymore. Now, along with the people in dark suits one can find youth groups with their innovative ideas; women and gender networks working hard to put their message across; research and academic institutes providing science-based evidence; humanitarian/development organizations narrating stories how CC is affecting people and how the burdens can be shared and reduced; and a vibrant media  constituency making efforts to give a human face to the whole negotiations process.

Collectively, civil society is looking for a FAB DEAL: a deal which is FAIR, AMBITIOUS and  BINDING.

Hopes and sentiments are high, atmosphere is charged and the stage is set. Let’s see how the story would UNFOLD.

I’m here till the end of negotiations and will be following the debate around disasters, adaptation and adaptation fund.

Maira

07 December 2009

The recent disasters which struck neighbouring countries in Asia and the Pacific emphasised once again the need for gender sensitive disaster risk reduction strategy.

Here are several resources which provide some basic principles in gendering DRR:

1) GENDER EQUALITY IN DISASTERS: SIX PRINCIPLES FOR ENGENDERED RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION. http://www.gdnonline.org/resources/GDN_GENDER_EQUALITY_IN_DISASTERS.pdf

Equidad de Genero en los Desastres: Seis Principios para Transversalizar el Género en la Respuesta
y en la Reconstrucción. http://www.gdnonline.org/resources/GDN_sixprinciples_es.pdf

L’egalite des Genres dans la Prevention et la Gestion des Catastrophes: Les Six Principes pour une Résilience
et une Reconstruction Collective. http://www.gdnonline.org/resources/GDN_sixprinciples_fr.pdf

2) WORKING WITH WOMEN AT RISK: PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING LOCAL DISASTER RISK. http://gdnonline.org/resources/WorkingwithWomenEnglish.pdf

CÓMO TRABAJAR CON MUJERES EN SITUACIONES DE RIESGO DIRECTRICES PRÁCTICAS PARA
EVALUAR LA VULNERABILIDAD A LOS DESASTRES NATURALES Y LA CAPACIDAD DE RESPUESTA A
NIVEL LOCAL. http://gdnonline.org/resources/WorkingWithWomenSpanish.pdf

3) WORKING WITH WOMEN IN EMERGENCY RELIEF AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES. http://www.ifrc.org/publicat/catalog/autogen/0097.asp

4) GENDER-AWARE DISASTER PRACTICE: A SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR DISASTER RESPONDING AGENCIES. http://gdnonline.org/resources/gender-sensitive-planning.doc

5) MAKING DISASTER RISK REDUCTION GENDER-SENSITIVE: POLICY AND PRACTICAL GUIDELINES. http://www.preventionweb.net/files/9922_MakingDisasterRiskReductionGenderSe.pdf

6) GUIDELINES FOR GENDER-SENSITIVE DISASTER MANAGEMENT. http://www.apwld.org/pdf/Gender_Sensitive.pdf

7) GENDER MATTERS: TALKING POINTS ON GENDER EQUALITY AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION. www.gdnonline.org/resources/gendermatters-talkingpoints-ee04.doc

8)  WOMEN, GIRLS, BOYS & MEN. DIFFERENT NEEDDS - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.  IASC GENDER HANDBOOK FOR HUMANITARIAN ACTION. http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/iasc/gender

9) THE SPHERE PROJECT: HUMANITARIAN CHARTER AND MINIMUM STANDARDS IN DISASTER RESPONSE. http://www.sphereproject.org/

10) GENDER EQUALITY AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE: A GUIDE TO THE ISSUES. http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/INET/IMAGES.NSF/vLUImages/Africa/$file/Guide-Gender.pdf

11) GENDER SENSITIVE DISASTER MANAGEMENT: A TOOLKIT FOR PRACTITIONERS. http://gdnonline.org/resources/Pincha_GenderSensitiveDisasterManagement_Toolkit.pdf

TRANSLATED IN:

TAMIL. http://gdnonline.org/resources/Pincha_Gender_Sensitive_DM_Toolkit_Tamil.pdf

BAHASA INDONESIA. http://gdnonline.org/resources/Pincha_GenderSensitiveDM_BahasaIndonesia.pdf

TURKISH. http://gdnonline.org/resources/PinchaKitap_Turkce_RENKLI.pdf

The list is not exhaustive, for more resources please visit the Gender and Disaster Sourcebook >> Policy and Planning Tools: http://www.gdnonline.org/sourcebook/chapt/ind.php?id=2

To add your publication to the G&D Sourcebook, email us at: gdn[at]gdnonline.org.

To get the point of view of the NWP team on gender sensitive practices, tools and systems for climate and disaster risk reduction assessments, I have been trying to get hold of Ms. Xianfu Lu (the NWP liaison person from the UNFCCC secretariat). After trying a bit on the suggested phone number, I wrote to her on June 8^th 2009. Now waiting!!!!!!!!!

I’m also pursuing the case with Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, representing the government of Trinidad and Tobago and the focal point for NWP in the current meeting i.e., SBSTA-30 (Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice ).  Mr. Kumarsingh has shown interest to come to the women’s caucus to learn more on the importance of gender sensitive practices, tools and systems for climate and disaster risk reduction assessments.

A draft conclusion for the NWP for the SBSTA-30 (what conclusions have been reached in this meeting) is now available. I would keep you posted reagrding this.

Maira

June 9^th 2009,

Bonn

With the help of the Nairobi Work Program (NWP), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is working with 133 stakeholders including the UN, IGOs, NGOs, CBOs and research institutes on adaptation issues.

The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN ISDR) is one important partner of NWP. In March 2009, the UNISDR and NWP teams arranged a technical workshop on integrating practices, tools and systems for climate risk assessment and management and disaster risk reduction strategies into national policies and programmes in Cuba.

In one of the UNFCCC side events in Bonn, the NWP team presented the findings of the workshop in Cuba. The workshop which brought together around 100 experts representing developed and developing countries, along with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, was described as a ‘successful platform’ to share practices and lessons-learned at  international, regional, national and subnational levels, and to identify gaps and needs and how to overcome barriers in order to facilitate successful integration. The final report will be shared in the coming days. The preliminary report is available in  the UNFCCC website (http://unfccc.int/files/adaptation/application/pdf/preliminary_workshop_report.pdf).

Surprisingly, this preliminarily report or the background documents on the workshop, say nothing on gendered vulnerabilites exacerbated by disasters or climate change. I’m surprised to read that neither the facilitators nor the participants, who were representing 100 developed and developing countries, brought up the importance of gender implications in disaster/CC risk assessments. Maybe this is something which has been missed-out!!!! I strongly feel that we are supposed to be at the stage where we should have learned and internalised the gendered impacts of disasters in light of social, cultural and economic processes of the society, and that bringing both women’s and men’s points of view in the table is extremely important.

I would try to get the perspective of the NWP liaison person, Ms. Xianfu Lu on this. If someone from UNISDR is reading this, your response might help clarify things and explore this issue further.

Would keep the Network posted.

Maira

June 5^th 2009