Gender-Responsive Disaster Risk Reduction : Challenges and Solutions in UNDRR Policymaking

Abstract: This paper brings insight into the international regime on Disaster Risk Reduction and its responsiveness to gendered dimensions. More specifically, it investigates the translation from theoretical prescriptions to policy practices in the internationally operating United Nations Office for DRR (UNDRR). The aim of this paper is to study to what extent the central challenges and solutions in making DRR gender-responsive, as defined by scientific literature, are brought up in UNDRR policymaking. The extent to which they were mentioned in each unit of analysis (33 UNDRR publications) is systematically documented and all quotes are listed and used as a qualitative complementary element. Results show that there are substantially more mentions of solutions than challenges. Further, while some aspects such as women’s exclusion from decision-making and promoting their leadership receive substantial attention throughout the publications, the homogenization of women and men’s exclusion do not. In conclusion, the UNDRR has, to a varying extent, integrated the central challenges and solutions into gender-responsive DRR policymaking. In identifying these gaps, the study offers practical recommendations. It also provides a theoretical framework and a descriptive foundation of trends and patterns for future research.