1. Climate Change, Natural Disasters and Women
Liz Riley, Deputy Coordinator (ag)
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA)
Inter-American Commission of Women
Thirty-Fourth Assembly of Delegates
Santiago, Chile
November 11, 2008

2. Presentation Overview
CDERA
Climate Change, Climate Variability and Natural Disasters
Impacts on Women
Way forward: Platforms for Action

3. What is CDERA? Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency
Regional inter-governmental Disaster Management Organization - Headquarters in Barbados
Established in 1991 by Agreement of regional Heads of Government
Main function is to make “immediate and coordinated response” to disasters in Participating States.
Sixteen (16) Participating States

5. Climate Change, Climate variability and natural disasters
*This is where the Information Network fits in.
Disaster relief includes relief supplies e.g SUMA, Relief Tracking Systems
Mitigation indicates putting measures in place to reduce the effects of disasters.

6. Definitions
Climate Change: “A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods”
Source: UNFCCC
Climate variability: refers to variations in the mean state and other statistics (such as standard deviations, the occurrence of extremes etc.) of the climate on all spatial and temporal scales beyond that of individual weather events.
Source: IPCC
Disaster: A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.
Source: ISDR
*This is where the Information Network fits in.
Disaster relief includes relief supplies e.g SUMA, Relief Tracking Systems
Mitigation indicates putting measures in place to reduce the effects of disasters.

7. SOURCE: EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Database 2008

8. SOURCE: EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Database 2008

9. Selected Hazard Impacts in the Caribbean
TIME
PLACE
DISASTER
IMPACT
1988
Jamaica
Hurricane Gilbert
65% GDP
1989
5 countries
Hurricane Hugo
US$412 M
1999
Dominica
Hurricane Lenny
53% GDP
2004
Haiti & DR
Flooding
270 deaths
Grenada
Hurricane Ivan
US$895 M
US$592 M
2005
Guyana
60% GDP
Various sources: Collated by CDERA

10. Climate change impacts
Sea Level Rise – IPCC 3rd Assessment Report avg 5.0mm/yr over the 21st Century
Temperature increases: 11 of the 12 warmest years on record have occurred in the last 12 years. If concentrations of all GHG and aerosols kept constant at 2000 levels, further warming of 0.1degrees C would be expected *
‘Very likely” that extreme heat events and heavy precipitation will become more frequent*
‘Likely” that future tropical cyclones will become more intense with larger peak wind speeds and more heavy precipitation*
* 4th IPCC Assessment Report

11. Climate change impacts
Actions to address current climate variability are the first steps towards addressing climate change adaptation for the future
Climate change impacts will vary from country to country, region to region, may also vary from community to community since impacts are linked to existing vulnerabilities
Climate change, climate variability and natural disasters are development issues

12. How do natural disasters and climate change affect women?
Overarching context – social dimensions of natural hazard impacts and climate change
Susceptibility vs resilience
*This is where the Information Network fits in.
Disaster relief includes relief supplies e.g SUMA, Relief Tracking Systems
Mitigation indicates putting measures in place to reduce the effects of disasters.

13. Framework for the social dimension of vulnerability
SOURCE: Kambon, 2005

14. How do natural disasters and climate change affect women?
Differential vulnerability of males and females to natural disaster and climate change impacts are reflective of their socially constructed roles
Responses of males and females to disaster differ
*This is where the Information Network fits in.
Disaster relief includes relief supplies e.g SUMA, Relief Tracking Systems
Mitigation indicates putting measures in place to reduce the effects of disasters.

15. Women’s roles result in …
Limited access to resources including credit, extension services, information and technology
Limited mobility – linked to burden of care
Insecure land tenure
Limited access to information, training and capacity building initiatives

16. Women’s roles result in …
Do not receive adequate information on hazards and risks and the links to natural resource use and environmental sustainability to the same extent as men
Limited access to decision-making and leadership positions
Unequal value given to paid work by women
Women make up a large number of the poor in communities highly dependent on local natural resources for livelihood

17. Some key impacts …
May require additional support eg. to respond to early warnings due to limited mobility
Higher mortality rates: 2004 Indian Tsunami female mortality 3 – 4 X that of men in some communities
Inability or reduced ability to fulfill the role as providers of food water and fuel eg. Drought
Lose their jobs and have no means of securing compensation where such recovery programmes exist: eg. Hurricane Ivan Grenada 60 – 70% of workers in the informal sector were women
Constrained potential for recovery in the aftermath of disasters due in part to insecure land tenure

18. Selected Examples:
Case Study
Grenada
Hurricane Ivan 2004

20. Map Of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique

21. Hurricane Ivan 2004 Impacted Grenada on September 7, 2004
Category 3 Hurricane
115 mile per hour winds
*This is where the Information Network fits in.
Disaster relief includes relief supplies e.g SUMA, Relief Tracking Systems
Mitigation indicates putting measures in place to reduce the effects of disasters.

22. Caribbean Case Study – Grenada, Hurricane Ivan 2004
Pre Event Conditions:
A relatively high elderly dependency ratio of 31.8 per cent; Elderly 61+, 26.5 per cent of population;
The poorest fifth of the population had reported first childbirth between the ages of Teenage fertility rate 16.3 per cent;
Post-Event Impact:
Burden of care increased
*This is where the Information Network fits in.
Disaster relief includes relief supplies e.g SUMA, Relief Tracking Systems
Mitigation indicates putting measures in place to reduce the effects of disasters.
Source: Grenada: A Gender Impact Assessment Of Hurricane Ivan
– Making the Invisible Visible, UNECLAC and UNIFEM 2005

23. Caribbean Case Study – Grenada, Hurricane Ivan 2004
Source: Grenada: A Gender Impact Assessment Of Hurricane Ivan
– Making the Invisible Visible, UNECLAC and UNIFEM 2005
Pre Event Conditions:
Informal sector: 60 – 70% female
32% of the population unemployed
28.8% of households defined as poor and 10.3% of households classified as indigent;
48% of women-headed households are among poor women, 52 per cent of women head households;
Post Event Impacts:
Direct impact on rural household income
Increase in women’s vulnerabilities related to access to land and care services and income for themselves and children
Women de-prioritizing the level of abuse in their lives – to their needs for shelter, food and income
*This is where the Information Network fits in.
Disaster relief includes relief supplies e.g SUMA, Relief Tracking Systems
Mitigation indicates putting measures in place to reduce the effects of disasters.

24. Caribbean Case Study – Grenada, Hurricane Ivan 2004
Resilience of Women
storytelling to children by women as a coping mechanism
One-pot cooks – community spirit
*This is where the Information Network fits in.
Disaster relief includes relief supplies e.g SUMA, Relief Tracking Systems
Mitigation indicates putting measures in place to reduce the effects of disasters.
Source: Grenada: A Gender Impact Assessment Of Hurricane Ivan
– Making the Invisible Visible, UNECLAC and UNIFEM 2005

25. Climate change adaptation specific areas where gender specific aspects should be addressed
Energy
Water
Food security
Agriculture
Fisheries
Biodiversity and ecosystem services
Health
Industry
Human settlements
Disaster management
Conflict and security
SOURCE: Kambon, 2008

26. Way Forward: Platforms for Action
POLICY, LEGAL FRAMEWORKS AND PLANNING: Mainstreaming of gender perspectives into national policies, plans, legislation and other measures including those related to sustainable development and climate change. Gender policy integration into recovery planning
Caribbean Regional Strategy for Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) – Views gender as a critical cross cutting issue

27. COMPREHENSIVE DISASTER MANAGEMENT (CDM)
Programme Framework
OUTPUTS
OUTCOME 4:
Enhanced community resilience in CDERA states/ territories to mitigate and respond to the adverse effects of climate change and disasters
OUTCOME 3:
Disaster Risk Management has been mainstreamed at national levels and incorporated into key sectors of national economies (including tourism, health agriculture and nutrition)
OUTCOME 2:
An effective mechanism and programme for management of comprehensive disaster management knowledge has been established
PURPOSE
To strengthen regional, national and community level capacity for mitigation, management, and coordinated response to natural and technological hazards, and the effects of climate change.
OUTCOME 1:
Enhanced institutional support for CDM Program implementation at national and regional levels
GOAL
Regional Sustainable Development enhanced through CDM

28. Way Forward: Platforms for Action
GENDER INFUSED INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKING
- Does the information which informs policy decisions reflect a gender lens?
FINANCIAL
Flexibility of (eg. Post disaster) financing mechanisms to reflect women’s needs and priorities
Gender analysis of all budget lines and financial instruments for climate change essential to ensure gender-sensitive investments on programmes for adaptation, mitigation, technological transfer and capacity building

29. Way Forward: Platforms for Action
GOVERNANCE: Participation of women in decision making processes on natural disasters and climate change – creation of opportunities; inclusiveness
ENABLING ACTIVITES FOR PARTICIPATION
Increasing the understanding of natural hazard risk and the potential implications of climate change
Equal access for women to training, credit and skills development programmes to ensure full participation

30. Way Forward View women as agents of change
(Indigenous) knowledge and expertise can used assist in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and disaster risk reduction

31. Thank You! Questions?
Contact Information
Telephone: