Updated 27 July 2011

(Please see below for related articles and resources)

Impact of earthquake on women, children and the elderly and actions taken

Quake’s aftermath weighs heavily on women http://www.globalissues.org/news/2011/04/15/9299

From the GDN mailing list: http://groups.preventionweb.net/scripts/wa-PREVENTIONWEB.exe?A0=GDNET-L

Please see below notes, focal points and links to agencies and organisations involved in response and recovery provided by women from Japan. With thanks to Dr Jane Henrici, Study Director of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research http://www.iwpr.org for compiling the list.

Tamiyo Kondo, Associate Professor at Kobe University Graduate School of Engineering and Department of Architecture, provided the following information:

-Some academics sent some recommendations to the national government, mainly about gender issues in disaster response and recovery phases.

-Volunteer coordinator centers are going to be set up soon. Those who would like to send supplies for women can coordinate with these centers.

-Japanese academics and planners are seeking out how to contribute to the national government’s efforts for better response and recovery.

The links below are provided by Keiko Ikeda, Shizuoka University and Yoko Saito, UNCRD Disaster Management Planning, Hyogo Office.

Announcement from the Government of Japan http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/topics/2011/earthquake2011tohoku.html

Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan
http://www.mofa.go.jp/index.html

International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering http://iisee.kenken.go.jp/special2/20110311tohoku.htm

+++Reports of NGOs+++

AAR Japan
http://www.aarjapan.gr.jp/english/

ADRA Japan
http://www.adrajpn.org/

AMDA (Medical assistance)
http://www.amdainternational.com/english/index.php

The NGO Collaboration Center for HANSHIN QUAKE Rehabilitation
http://tohoku-pacific-eq.seesaa.net/ (Provides daily briefings on the aftermath of the earthquake and support extended to affected prefectures)

JOICEP (Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning)
http://www.joicfp.or.jp/eng/

IVY (International Volunteer Centre of Yamagata) This organization coordinates NGOs in the field. http://www.ivyivy.org/e/ (Yamagata is a prefecture bordering with worst hit Miyagi)

JANIC (Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation) apex body of Japanese NGOs
http://www.janic.org/en/ (Their English-language site does not have information on the disaster)

Peace Winds Japan
http://www.peace-winds.org/en/

SEEDS Asia
http://www.seedsasia.org/eng/index.html

Situation reports and appeal http://www.seedsasia.org/eng/projects-japan.html

World Vision Japan
http://www.worldvision.jp/english/index.html (Their English-language site does not have information on the disaster)

+++Information in multiple languages for affected foreigners+++

FM Waiwai
http://www.tcc117.org/fmyy/index.php

Tohoku area Pacific offshore earthquake multi-language support center http://eqinfojp.net/

—-

Looking back at the Great Hanshin Awaji earthquake

In 1995, a 6.8 moment magnitude earthquake struck the southern part of the Hyogo prefecture in Japan, killing more than 6,000 people. A women’s group called Women’s Net Kobe was at the front line to give support to abused women following the earthquake. Below are some resources produced by Women’s Net relating their experiences and observations after the earthquake.

Earthquakes and women http://www.ajwrc.org/english/sub/voice/15-2-2.pdf

Discussion among women six months after the earthquake: http://homepage2.nifty.com/bousai/pdf/Discussion_eplogue.pdf

—

by Ros Houghton

Just before 1pm on February 22, 2011, Christchurch New Zealand experienced the largest disaster in New Zealand’s recent history. A 6.3 magnitude earthquake that was 5km deep and centred 10km outside the city struck and caused widespread damage to the central city. Unlike the previous earthquake in the same region in September 2010, this earthquake has caused over 100 deaths and at least 300 people are still reported missing to date. Because of the time day, many people were in the central city at work or on lunch breaks. This coupled with the relatively shallow depth of the quake has meant the impact of this earthquake dwarfs that of the September quake.

The Red Cross and Salvation Army have immediately begun welfare response work and donations are pouring in from across the globe. Our Prime Minister has declared a National Emergency and described this earthquake as one of New Zealand’s darkest days. The damage has been estimated at $6Bil (NZ) to date but this is sure to rise, as will the death toll. Many homes have been destroyed and this has made the existing housing shortage from the previous earthquake, even worse. Students had just returned from University vacation as well, meaning even less accommodation was available.

Women’s Refuge immediately assembled a team to respond to the need in Christchurch. The Chief Executive, 3 trained advocates and myself travelled down via ferry with two vans loaded with donated supplies. We have already heard the domestic violence callouts are up overnight and upon arrival in the city, it became clear the situation was pretty grim for the Refuges, with damage to vital buildings and offices, staff unable to work, and no power, water or sewage. Those with open safehouses are full to capacity. The team will meet tomorrow with all Refuges to establish a plan for continued services in the coming months.

If you would like more information on this, here are some great websites:

www.stuff.co.nz
www.nzherald.co.nz
www.womensrefuge.org.nz

If you have any information you’d like to share or further questions, please contact Ros Houghton (rosalindhoughton@hotmail.com)

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/