Introduction to GBA Plus

Socially constructed gender roles continue to assign the majority of domestic and caregiving duties to women.

During an emergency, women are often expected to assume the resulting increase in domestic duties.

Women also tend to be more involved in delivering aid within the community, both formally and informally.

Gender norms in society often promote a specific interpretation of masculinity that could affect their response in a crisis. For example, men's reduced risk perception and heightened sense of independence could have an impact on their responses to emergency warnings.

In an emergency where people have been displaced, or houses have been destroyed, shelter is especially important for providing safety and protection, and for sustaining family and community life.

Shelters often have gendered impacts. They are not always set up to provide the unique and diverse range of services required by women, men, children, trans and non-binary individuals, the elderly, those from different ethnic groups, and people with disabilities.

Many people now rely heavily on technology and telecommunications systems to meet a range of needs, including to receive news, to access banking, or to connect with loved ones. Disruptions to these systems may disproportionately affect certain groups.

While services to support the mental health of people dealing with or recovering from an emergency are often not considered as part of the emergency response plan, mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and/or violence, may have a significant impact on the community during an emergency.

Gender-based violence is known to increase during and after emergency situations and disasters, when safety may be compromised due to displacement, loss of infrastructure or lack of access to telecommunications.

Already vulnerable groups can become even more isolated and at risk during an emergency, when a range of supports (family, friends, community services, shelter, communications) may be disrupted.