Experience on the Female Roles in a Disaster - Essay Example

Introduction The situation and state of Internally Displaced Person(s) - IDP(s) camps during or after a disaster is relatively hard and demanding. The situation is worse for vulnerable groups in the community who are women and children. Disasters can strike anywhere and the aftermath can lead to internally displaced persons (ICRC, 2006). The emergence of IDP camps tends to change the social, economic, and cultural ways of life for communities. Survivors have to learn to live in new dimensions that they were not familiar with or not experienced with before a disaster. This situation and setting is hardest for females and children who are vulnerable to exploitation, violence and abuse (ICRC, 2010). It is of paramount importance for each individual to be prepared in the radical changes that are experienced in IDP camps. The following essay will utilise a reflective framework by Asadoorian et al. (2010) (figure 1), to reflect how I made decisions in a simulation involving survival training exercise and the role of women or females at an IDP camp. Critical reflection illustrated that my decisions or choices took a rational form of decision making based on the rational choice theory (Platt, 2015). Moreover, moral and ethical considerations were also applied in shaping my course of action. Overall, it is suggested that females are vulnerable during a disaster, but they too have a role to play, which can be achieved through their social, economic, and political empowerment. Figure 1: The reflection model which consists of seven hierarchical stages (Asadoorian et al., 2010) Trigger I was assigned as a humanitarian team worker in one of the IDP camps that was set up following a natural disaster. Upon arrival, I was amazed at the role women or females played in the IDP camp. Being from Turkey, women have always held a conservative role where they are only required to undertake the duties of the household. As I walked into the camp, I noticed that women were as hard working as men. Women did what I would call masculine jobs such as cutting wood, carrying heavy items and also taking responsibility for the fire. I felt confused with the whole situation not understanding how women were fitting into these masculine or male roles. In addition to them, I have known from my own observations that women who were single or with no spouses face increased challenges in terms of earning money fairly and honestly for a living in some cultures. Description Roles and responsibilities were assigned among the team members. I was more concerned with women that other relief or additional humanitarian efforts. I also joined in the responsibility of investigating the challenges and situation of women in the IDP camp. Firstly, I was able to observe that women work as hard as men in the IDP camp. The only difference is when males and females are separated as they go to sleep. I also understood numerous women experienced increased challenges and threats especially in terms of violence, abuse, and their socioeconomic status. I took notes accordingly and quickly developed a training program for self-defense to women with no spouses or single mothers. Alongside other members, we offered increased training and information on personal security especially in relation to rape, kidnapping, and domestic violence. I noted the need for women to boost their abilities and potential so as to act as agents in the disaster rather than victims of disaster. Awareness The role played by females made the setting and environment vibrant but in an amazing or astonishing manner. All through the experience, I was thinking of the traditional gender role of women in relation to what I was witnessing. The feeling was puzzling at some point. I could have preferred to downplay the critical role females or women can play in disaster relief and recovery, but from my observation and experience, I quickly made a rational decision to support and empower the women. I had a responsibility to help the vulnerable in such a disaster by ensuring they are well equipped to handle challenges. I merely expressed any gender stereotypes while training the women, and constantly reassured them of their critical role as agents rather than victims in the disaster. I reiterated that females had a critical role to play and that they possessed all the skills needed to make valuable contribution in the disaster recovery efforts. Although I had no prior experience on the female roles in a disaster, my knowledge on the changing gender roles in society prepared me for this moment. I have been brought up in a society where males are favoured and considered superior while females are considered inferior. Nonetheless, I have been exposed to different cultures as well as disaster situation where males can hardly meet all the responsibilities of recovery. Based on the most rational options or choices, I concluded that women could be effective and efficient in realising recovery efforts in such a disaster situation. Moreover, I was motivated by moral and ethical reasons. As mentioned by Benjamin and Fancy (1998), I have always believed that males and females should be treated equally and in such a disaster the efforts of both females and males are necessary for effective recovery efforts. Additionally, I believe that my action to focus on females and their role is a shared belief in any humanitarian or disaster management agency or organization. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies stipulates that one of the responsibilities of humanitarian assisting actors is that their disaster assistance and primary recovery assistance should be conducted with sufficient involvement of affected people, including elderly, youth, and women (IFRC, 2008). Moreover, men are considered the predominant actors in emergency planning. However, women should be allowed to participate in emergency planning. Analysis My actions were focused on addressing the apparent but commonly downplayed vulnerability of females during disaster. I have a strong belief that women are under increased risk during disasters and they deserve increased interventions than males during disasters. No person should be allowed to suffer in times of disaster based on their race, gender, ethnicity, or beliefs. The first basis of my actions and motivation hinges on conventional and rational thinking that is based on uplifting the status and roles of women especially in disaster situations. Moreover, international regulations and guidelines in disaster response also influenced my actions. Although I was not aware of any civil or disaster laws covering the area I was in, I borrowed information and knowledge from internationally shared guidelines and frameworks. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies clearly offer guidelines for assisting actors in disaster response. The federation expects assisting actors to adopt disaster response and relief plans that are responsive to the special needs of women and vulnerable groups such as children and the disabled (IFRC, 2008). Moreover, their recovery and relief plans should be implemented with sufficient involvement of affected individuals including vulnerable groups such as women (IFRC, 2008). Furthermore, the United Nation’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) clearly offers women an avenue to report abuse and violence (UN, 2008). In addition, the United Nation’s Security Council Resolution 1325 indicates that women and children are the worst affected by conflict and disaster (Dijkhorst and Vonhof, 2005). It also allows and encourages the inclusion of women in peace or disaster recovery activities. These are among the international disaster response guidelines that motivated my actions. According to the World Disaster Report 2006, the main cover photo of the report illustrates how women suffer and contribute during disaster and humanitarian crises (IFRC, 2006). This is in fact what I witnessed on my first day in the IDP camp as women worked as hard as women in relief and recovery efforts. In addition to these, I was also directed by the previous training and experience on teaching women self-defense lessons. My experience in the disaster response field has helped me understand the challenges of women and their forgotten roles in recovery efforts. Relating I can relate my actions and decision in partaking in the training exercise to the theory of rational choice. According to Platt (2015), rational choice theory symbolises the idea that people attempt to amplify benefits while reducing costs. Platt (2015) also indicates that most decisions come about unconsciously. Rational choice simply follows a simple model that includes identifying the challenge, finding alternatives, selecting a solution or the best alternative, and evaluating the outcome. Moreover, the rational choice theory suggests that decision-makers under uncertainty compare the projections of alternative actions based on two attributes; the advantage or cost of each possible result and the likelihood of each outcome (Platt and Huettel, 2008). It comes from these attributes that the decision-maker outlines the expected value. From the rational choice theory, I can relate my actions from the knowledge, experience, and observations I used to act in the IDP camp. It was through my experience of female or gender roles in my own culture that led me to realise the difference of the female role in different cultures and situations. Observing women in a different culture and situation and the knowledge on women as vulnerable in disaster also informed my actions. My knowledge and experience in education is also in line with my actions. Women should not be subject to discrimination or any form of marginalisation especially at times of a disaster. My ethics and morals also contributed increasingly in reaching my decision and taking my actions. Nonetheless, all through my experience in the exercise, a great feeling of ambiguity and confusing loomed on the possible outcomes. This is where I applied the rational choice framework to develop a course of action. After a quick analysis and plotting options, I reached a conclusion that the most beneficial option to help women based on their vulnerability is to teach them on self-defense. Additionally, the simulation I participated in earlier helped me to prepare effectively in terms of training and instilled a strong sense of confidence as well as motivation to help the vulnerable. New Perspective I believe that my multicultural experience of female roles in society played an integral part in accomplishing my responsibility. The exposure to different cultures enabled me piece together the undermined situation of females in society particularly during disasters or at IDP camps. It also enabled me to intuitively relate to the simulation on survival training that is best fit for vulnerable groups such as women and children. I owe the quick decision to assess women’s challenges and offer survival training on my experience of how women’s roles and situation are undermined. My ability to piece together all this information and arrive to a decision was based on taking time to find alternative and arriving at the best alternative with increased benefits and reduced costs. My expected value from the training I offered women is that they are equipped to defend themselves and their loved one based on the social and economic changes that are witnessed in an IDP camp. Therefore, the ability to identify the challenges, develop alternatives based on evidence/experience, and select a solution is certainly paramount, and in its deficiency, simulations can partially offer the real-world picture. Validation The validity of this new perspective, which is illustrated by Schacter et al. (2011), suggests that decision-making can be viewed as a problem-solving action completed by a solution that is considered satisfactory. Therefore, for one to make any decision, they have to reach a conclusion on the best solution be it rational or irrational. The rational choice has been applied in numerous areas including economics with the cost-benefit analysis. Sun-Ki, (1999) explains that rational decisions are based on preferences (values, affects, and motivation) and beliefs (information, knowledge, ideas, and cognition). In the new perspective, motivation, knowledge, values, and information are all pieced up together to offer the necessary driving forces to take necessary actions. Research also illustrates that people tend to choose the most beneficial decisions over the most costly or unbeneficial decisions (Richard, et al. 2012). The study tested people’s choices when asked to select an intervention for an epidemic. The first choice was a high probability to save 200 people out of 600 while the second choice was a low probability of saving all with a high probability of losing all 600 (Richard, et al. 2012, p. 5). All the participants chose the first option bearing in mind that it was the best beneficial while the second posed a risk of loss. Although people may rely on experience, they need to adopt a cost-benefit analysis based on their current situation and choose the most beneficial and least costly action. People may not have adequate experience to deal with disaster situations especially in recovery efforts where things may be hard at a time. Conclusion The demanding and hard nature of IDP camps require increased understanding on how to address recovery efforts in a manner that is effective and efficient. With limited resources, helping communities recover in a new social, cultural, and economic setting call for a systematic/informed framework of making decisions and acting. Having used the reflective model to reflect on my experience in a simulation at an IDP camp, my actions and decisions reflect the rational choice theory. My knowledge, cultural experience, and ability to piece all the crucial information together played a significant role in guiding my decisions and actions. References Asadoorian, J., Schönwetter, D.J. and Lavigne, S.E., (2010). Developing Reflective Health Care Practitioners: Learning from Experience in Dental Hygiene Education, Journal of Dental Education, 75(4), pp. 472 - 484. Benjamin, J. and Fancy, K. (1998). The gender dimensions of internal displacement: concept paper and annotated bibliography. [online] United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Office of Emergency Programmes, pp.2-31. Available at: http://www.forcedmigration.org/sphere/pdf/watsan/WCRWC/unicef_idpgender_1998.pdf [Accessed 14 Aug. 2015]. Dijkhorst, H. and Vonhof, S. (2005). Gender and Humanitarian Aid: a Literature Review of Policy and Practice. Disaster Studies. [online] Wageningen University, p.28. Available at: http://www.caritas.eu/sites/default/files/genderandhumanitarianaidfinalreport.pdf [Accessed 12 Aug. 2015]. ICRC, (2006). ICRC Position on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). [online] International Committee of the Red Cross, pp.1-8. Available at: https://www.icrc.org/eng/assets/files/other/2006_idps_en_icrcexternalposition.pdf [Accessed 14 Aug. 2015]. ICRC, (2010). Internally Displaced Persons and International Humanitarian Law. Advisory Service on International Humanitarian Law. [online] International Committee of the Red Cross, pp.1-3. Available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/download/file/1057/internally-displaced-persons-icrc-eng.pdf [Accessed 14 Aug. 2015]. IFRC, (2008). Introduction to the Guidelines for the Domestic Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Recovery Assistance. Geneva, Switzerland. [online] Available at: https://www.ifrc.org/PageFiles/41203/introduction-guidelines-en.pdf [Accessed 12 Aug. 2015]. IFRC, (2006). World Disasters Report 2006. Geneva, Switzerland. [online] Available at: https://www.ifrc.org/worlddisastersresponse2006 [Accessed 15 Aug. 2015] Platt, M. and Huettel, S., (2008). Risky business: the neuroeconomics of decision making under uncertainty. Nature Neuroscience, 11(4), pp.398-403. Platt, S., (2015). A decision-making model of disaster resilience and recovery. [online] ECED 2015 Conference: Earthquake Risk and Engineering towards a Resilient World. Available at: [Accessed 12 Aug. 2015]. Richard Eiser, J, Bostrom, A, Burton, I, Johnston, D, McClure, J, Paton, D, van der Pligt, J, and White, M (2012), 'Risk interpretation and action: A conceptual framework for responses to natural hazards', International Journal Of Disaster Risk Reduction, 1, p. 5. Schacter, D., Gilbert, D. and Wegner, D., (2009). Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers. Sun-Ki, C., (1999). Rational Choice: Positive, Normative, and Interpretive. 1st ed. Hawaii: Department of Sociology, University of Hawai. UN, (2008). Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. [online]. Available at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm [Accessed 12 Aug. 2015]. Read More

Firstly, I was able to observe that women work as hard as men in the IDP camp. The only difference is when males and females are separated as they go to sleep. I also understood numerous women experienced increased challenges and threats especially in terms of violence, abuse, and their socioeconomic status. I took notes accordingly and quickly developed a training program for self-defense to women with no spouses or single mothers. Alongside other members, we offered increased training and information on personal security especially in relation to rape, kidnapping, and domestic violence.

I noted the need for women to boost their abilities and potential so as to act as agents in the disaster rather than victims of disaster. Awareness The role played by females made the setting and environment vibrant but in an amazing or astonishing manner. All through the experience, I was thinking of the traditional gender role of women in relation to what I was witnessing. The feeling was puzzling at some point. I could have preferred to downplay the critical role females or women can play in disaster relief and recovery, but from my observation and experience, I quickly made a rational decision to support and empower the women.

I had a responsibility to help the vulnerable in such a disaster by ensuring they are well equipped to handle challenges. I merely expressed any gender stereotypes while training the women, and constantly reassured them of their critical role as agents rather than victims in the disaster. I reiterated that females had a critical role to play and that they possessed all the skills needed to make valuable contribution in the disaster recovery efforts. Although I had no prior experience on the female roles in a disaster, my knowledge on the changing gender roles in society prepared me for this moment.

I have been brought up in a society where males are favoured and considered superior while females are considered inferior. Nonetheless, I have been exposed to different cultures as well as disaster situation where males can hardly meet all the responsibilities of recovery. Based on the most rational options or choices, I concluded that women could be effective and efficient in realising recovery efforts in such a disaster situation. Moreover, I was motivated by moral and ethical reasons. As mentioned by Benjamin and Fancy (1998), I have always believed that males and females should be treated equally and in such a disaster the efforts of both females and males are necessary for effective recovery efforts.

Additionally, I believe that my action to focus on females and their role is a shared belief in any humanitarian or disaster management agency or organization. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies stipulates that one of the responsibilities of humanitarian assisting actors is that their disaster assistance and primary recovery assistance should be conducted with sufficient involvement of affected people, including elderly, youth, and women (IFRC, 2008). Moreover, men are considered the predominant actors in emergency planning.

However, women should be allowed to participate in emergency planning. Analysis My actions were focused on addressing the apparent but commonly downplayed vulnerability of females during disaster. I have a strong belief that women are under increased risk during disasters and they deserve increased interventions than males during disasters. No person should be allowed to suffer in times of disaster based on their race, gender, ethnicity, or beliefs. The first basis of my actions and motivation hinges on conventional and rational thinking that is based on uplifting the status and roles of women especially in disaster situations.

Moreover, international regulations and guidelines in disaster response also influenced my actions. Although I was not aware of any civil or disaster laws covering the area I was in, I borrowed information and knowledge from internationally shared guidelines and frameworks.

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