FACTORS AFFECTING GENDER’S ROLE IN COMMUNITY-BASED DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IN DISTRICT ZIARAT, BALOCHISTAN

Abstract

Balochistan is one of the provinces in Pakistan highly susceptible to both natural and man-made disasters due to its geographical location and features. The mounting stress on the district Ziarat, as quake-prone area in Balochistan makes the district an appropriate region for this study. After the Kashmir earthquake 2005 it was documented that about 70 per cent of diagnosed patients were women. However, the prime objective of this study was to highlight factors affecting role of gender in community-based disaster risk reduction in district Ziarat, Balochistan. For the accomplishment of the study’s objective a sample size of 195 was drawn by the Arkin’s formula and data gathered for this study was analyzed in descriptive statistics via SPSS and Pearson Chi-Square test was used to know association between some variables and women’s participation in community based disaster risk reduction. The study’s findings revealed that mainstreaming gender into community based disaster risk reduction is not an end in itself, rather a means to accomplish a goal of gender equality in the society and that woman in the study area are being confronted with multiple issues. They lacked information on environmental changes and earthquake related information. They are restricted to household activities and not allowed to participate in community awareness programs. Along with aforementioned problems the major factors that restricted their role in community-based disaster risk reduction were social and religious norms which do not allow them to receive any training conducted by NGOs or provincial government institutions. However, it is strongly suggested that rural women particularly in the geographically disaster prone areas must be given disaster education by both federal as well as provincial governments. Women should be enticed to education and trainings that can give them confidence so as to ensure their role in an efficient manner in community based disaster risk reduction.