Gender and emergency situations

Gender issues play an important role in ensuring food security in emergencies.

Emergencies affect women and girls differently from men and boys. In situations of armed conflicts, civil strife, or natural disasters, women often lose the capacity to sustain their families’ livelihoods due to loss of seeds, livestock and tools. In addition, conflict situations considerably increase the trauma of gender-specific physical insecurity for women and girls.

Supplying seeds for next year's crop after an emergency 17408/FAO/Bangladesh

It is essential to understand the specific roles/responsibilities of men and women in agriculture and their main constraints/needs, as well as their ability to carry out their activities under emergency situations and early rehabilitation.  Women are often more vulnerable in emergencies due to their lower social and economic status. A gender analysis helps to clarify what the specific needs, vulnerabilities and coping strategies of women and men are so that they can be more adequately addressed in response to an emergency situation.

• Women are at the center of FAO's efforts to improve household food security. FAO's Service for Special Relief Operations is dedicated to integrating a gender perspective into all aspects of the Organization's response to emergencies.

	News Section
	Women in War theme for CAP Launch 2001 FAO is one of the key players in the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) which outlines the priority needs of each emergency and defines the key roles that each agency will play in meeting these needs. Ensuring that a gender perspective is integrated is reflected by the CAP's Women in War theme.
	UN Security Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security

	Links to FAO documents
	Socio-Economic and Gender Analysis in Emergency Operations Summary
	Gender in Emergency Reference
	Study on the impact of armed conflict on the nutritional situation of children

	Links to Websites
FAO links
	Special Relief Operations FAO's Special Relief Operations Service (TCOR) focuses on emergency situations by assessing the needs and organizing agricultural assistance.
	GIEWS FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System for Food and Agriculture (GIEWS) monitors food supply and demand around the world.
	EMPRES The Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) monitors the globe for signs of emerging threats from pests and epidemics.
	SD Dimensions  FAO's Sustainable Development Department designs policies, strategies and methodologies to foster the active participation of rural people - men and women - in agriculture and rural development.
Inter-Agency links
	WomenWatch: The UN Internet Gateway on the Advancement and Empowerment of Women
	The United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women
	United Nations Development Fund for Women
	World Food Programme and Gender
	UN Economic and Social Development: General Information on Women
	Gender and Disaster Network (GDN)
	The World Bank Group: African Region on Gender
	Other NGO work on Gender and Emergency