Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Disaster Recovery. This 32 page report was prepared by several major international organizations. 

It is often assumed that all members of a population experience the impact of disasters in the same way. However, natural disasters are not neutral: They affect women, men, girls, and boys differently due to gender inequalities caused by socioeconomic conditions, cultural beliefs, and traditional practices which have repeatedly put females at a disadvantage. “Gender” refers to the socio-cultural roles, norms, and values associated with being a man or a woman. These roles, norms, and values determine how women and men prepare for, react to, and recover from disasters, and they often cause unequal distribution of power, economic opportunities, and sense of agency.