Three Feminist Principles Disaster Risk Financing Should Incorporate
Author: Darshni Nagaria
Photo: Shutterstock
Disaster risk financing (DRF) is crucial for ensuring timely and effective responses to crises. Yet the frameworks guiding this process often fail to consider the unique and diverse position of women. With the theme for 2025’s International Women’s Day being ‘accelerate action’, this is an opportune moment to reflect on how those working in the DRF space can ensure that strategies are more inclusive, equitable, and effective in addressing the challenges women face in times of disaster. Incorporating gender-responsive approaches not only supports women during crises but also empowers them as active agents of change in disaster resilience and recovery.
In this blog, we share three feminist principles that should be incorporated into disaster risk financing strategies to better support women and promote gender equality.
1. Women Are Not a Homogenous Vulnerable Group
"Not all women are weak, elderly, pregnant, lactating or menstruating; and are not so all of the time. Those women who do not fall within the ‘vulnerable category’ at any particular time may also have different gender-specific needs. Likewise, the same woman could be a victim, a responder and an agent of change at the same time … framing them as one or the other reduces the transformative potential of a gender-responsive approach to disaster risk reduction."
A Feminist Vision for Transformative Change to Disaster Risk Reduction Policies and Practices, 2021
Disaster risk financing strategies must account for the varying and often timebound needs of women. Too often, women are grouped together as a "vulnerable group," which fails to recognise the complex and diverse roles they play in disaster response and risk reduction. Womens’ needs change based on factors such as age, health, and life stage. A feminist perspective ensures we do not simply see women as passive victims of disaster, but we simultaneously understand that whilst women are often the hardest hit by disasters they are active contributors to household disaster management practices and leaders in their community’s risk reduction efforts.
To ensure disaster risk financing strategies are truly effective, it’s essential to ensure the varied dimensions of womens’ experiences are included in decision-making processes, and that they’re at the table.
2. Design Non-Discriminatory Money-Out Systems
Patriarchal systems often impose barriers that prevent women from accessing essential resources during disasters, particularly when it comes to financial aid. Legal, cultural, and societal norms frequently tie a woman’s citizenship and access to identification documents to their father’s or husband’s identity. For example, many women face challenges in receiving emergency funds during a disaster, as payouts often require proof of citizenship, which they may not be able to access due to these restrictive frameworks.
Disaster risk financing systems must be designed to overcome these gender-based obstacles. When emergency funds are based on outdated notions of citizenship, they exclude women and reinforce existing gender inequalities. To ensure that all women can access the support they need, disaster financing systems which do not recognise women as independent citizens must be reformed to ensure women have their full rights to access aid, irrespective of their marital or familial status.
3. Address Gender-Based Violence in Disaster Risk Response Plans
Disasters disproportionately affect women and girls in ways that extend beyond the direct impact of the event itself. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a significant risk that often escalates in the aftermath of crises. In displacement situations, where safety and shelter are critical, the risk of GBV rises significantly due to overcrowding, lack of privacy, and the breakdown of community structures. Disaster risk financing response plans should be designed with mechanisms to reduce the risk of GBV, ensuring the protection of women and girls during these vulnerable times.
One key action is to allocate funds for the provision of safe emergency shelters. These shelters should be well lit and equipped with access to segregated accommodation and accessible toilet facilities to ensure the safety of dignity of women and girls.
Additionally, response plans must include training responders on gender-sensitive approaches and offering mental health services to survivors of GBV. By including provisions to protect women and girls from GBV, we can reduce their vulnerability in disaster settings and support their recovery in a safe, dignified manner.
Disaster Risk Financing must continue to evolve to reflect the diverse roles women play in managing, responding to, and recovering from disasters. By incorporating feminist principles that recognise womens’ agency and leadership and eliminate discriminatory barriers, we can create disaster financing systems that are more inclusive, equitable, and effective.
Further reading:
How can we make disaster risk financing more gender inclusive? - Anticipation Hub
Protecting women and girls from violence in disasters | UNW WRD Knowledge Hub