ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between gender, disasters and development and puts forth four main points: that there is a need to move ahead from top-down to lateral approaches to strengthen these links, that humanitarian measures must address structural issues, that more work must be done between two disasters than after a disaster and four, that there is no short cut to direct investment in women's leadership. The chapter examines the top-down and autocratic approach to execute preparedness and recovery planning misses out on safety needs and recovery priorities of women and their organisations on the ground. Humanitarian measures must address structural issues. It also explores UNIFEM noted that although women are profoundly affected by spending in sectors like justice, law enforcement, infrastructure, and transport, plans in these sectors are typically gender-blind. When structural steps are taken between disasters, catastrophic events can open windows of opportunity for women to establish new links and new roles in the external world.
