GENDER EQUALITY IN
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
THE JAPANESE EXPERIENCES

Junko OKADA
Kobe University
2018/09/12

CONTENT
Disaster in Japan
Issues concerning gender equality which became apparent through our experiences withthe Great East Japan Earthquake
Basic Disaster Management Plan Amended (December 2011, September 2012, January2014)
Guidelines for disaster planning, response and reconstruction from a gender-equal perspective（May 2013）
Actual situation in Japan
Let’s think ‘How to promote the gender equality’Mikawa Earthquake 1945/01/13
2306
Makurazaki Typhoon 1945/09/27
3756

The number of deaths or missing by disaster inJapan
1945～2011

IsewanTyhoon
1959/09/265098

http://www.jice.or.jp/knowledge/japan/commentary09

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake

The Great East Japan Earthquake

https://www.city.ofunato.iwate.jp/www/contents/1454980254594/index.html
http://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/safety/fire/hanshinawaji/higai2.html

 （平成24年5月30日警察庁発表）2012/5/30

死者 the number of deaths 15,859人，(平成17年12月22日現在）2005/12/22•死者 the number of deaths 6,434人

行方不明者 the number of missing 3,021人
負傷者 the number of injured people 5,942人(2011/10/17)
全壊 10都県 約13万棟•負傷者 the number of injured people 43,792人• 全壊及び半壊棟数
the number of houses or buildings fully or
partially destroyed 249,180棟

The number of fully destroyed houses or buildings : about
130,000 in 10 prefecture
半壊 13都道県 発生，約26万棟
The number of partially destroyed houses or buildings : about
260,000 in 13 prefectureEvacuation site

Elementary school/junior high school gymnasium is designated as a shelterIssues concerning gender equality whichbecame apparent through our experienceswith the Great East Japan Earthquake
By Japanese Gender Equality Bureau＊ It isto carry out response measures from the perspective of gender equality
immediately after a natural disaster occurs.
＊ Differences between the needs of men and women are
emergency response measures.
＊ Women arerecovery policies.

when carrying out

in the decision-making process for disaster management andJapanese Gender Equality Bureau described the response
after the Great East Japan Earthquake as follows.
It isto carry out response measures from the perspective ofgender equality immediately after a natural disaster occurs.

Immediately after the earthquake struck, the Japanese government requested that response measures be carried out
while considering the needs of women or families with children.

However, this was not widely recognized in the front lines of the response efforts.

Differences between the needs of men and women arewhen carrying out emergency response
measures.
• There is a shortage of menstrual products and women’s underwear.
Since most of the people who run the evacuation areas are men, it isdifficult for women to receive and ask for the necessary supplies.

• There is no space where women can nurse their babies or change inthe evacuation areas.

There is no space where women can hang up their clothes, so they areunable to hang up their underwear.

Saving for emergency
Baby’snursingbottle• The withdrawal or isolation of men in the temporary
housing became a problem.
isolation
Unemployment
Death of hiswife or family
Loss ofproperty

alcoholism

Masculinity

dementia

Women prepared the meals for people in the shelter
Not paid

Men took out the rubble of the town caused by
Tsunami.

paid

Women are not involved in the decision-making process
for disaster management and recovery policies.
• Percentage of female members for prefectural disaster management councils: 3.6%
(There are no female members in 12 prefectures.) *As of April 2011
• Percentage of female members involved with formulating recovery plans incommittee meetings: 11.2% *As of April 2012; Data for 38 municipalities located incoastal areas.
EX.
Iwate Prefecture Committee for reconstruction
2013
19 participants (1 woman)
2018.325 participants (4 women)

5%16%

It is important to understand how to carry out emergency response
measures from the perspective of gender equality even before anatural disaster occurs.

Basic Disaster Management Plan Amended (December 2011, September 2012, January 2014)

 Administration of the Evacuation Areas
The plan clearly states thatthe evacuation areas must be administered by considering the needs of women as well as families with children by
doing the following: promotion of the participation of women in administering the evacuation areas; provision of special spaces for women (clothes drying areas, changing rooms, and nursing rooms); the distribution of menstrual products and women’s underwear by women; ensuring the safety of the evacuationarea, etc.

Basic Disaster Management Plan Amended (December 2011, September 2012, January 2014)
 Administration of Emergency Temporary Housing
The plan clearly states thatthe emergency temporary housing must be administered byassuring the safety of the residents,
providing psychological health care to prevent solitary death or withdrawal,
building a community among the residents,
promoting gender equality
making arrangements so that the views of the residents, beginning with women, are reflected.

Guidelines for disaster planning, response and reconstruction from a gender-equal
perspective （May 2013）
Japanese Gender Equality BureauGuidelines and Instruction handbook
Presenting basic matters,
based upon disaster experiences of the past,
to be used as guiding principles for local governments
to take actions and respond from a gender equality perspective
in prevention, emergency, recovery and reconstruction, and other stages.
Expecting local governments
to draw up or revise local disaster management plans, shelter management manuals, and so on,
to draw up guidelines or manuals individually,
and to establish organizations for disaster prevention and reconstruction from a gender equality perspective.
Being available for reference to volunteer deals with fire or flood, welfare and child commissioners, community
disaster prevention organizations, NPOs, NGOs, community groups, companies, universities, and otherorganizations that engage in disaster prevention or reconstruction activities.
http://www.gender.go.jp/policy/saigai/shishin/pdf/shishin.pdf

Guidelines for disaster planning, response and reconstruction from a gender-equalperspective （May 2013）
Japanese Gender Equality Bureau

Basic concepts: promotion of gender equality in daily life is the foundation of disaster prevention: position women as the leader: Consider the different effects of disasters between men and women: Respect human rights and secure safety and peace of mind while respecting male and female differences: Private sector and government collaborate to promote gender equality

Actual situation in Japan
Gender Gap Index World Ranking 2017Japan
GLOBAL INDEX

Indonesia

114

0.657

８４

ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION AND OPPROTYUNITY

114

0.580

１０６

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

74

0.991

８８Average Life 87.14
1 (80.98) 0.980

６０HEALTH AND SURVIVALPOLITICAL EMPOWERMENT123
Memberof Parliament0.078
Number 83 11.6%

http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2017.pdf

95 ６3
17.1%

How to promote the gender equality?

Reference
http://www.jice.or.jp/knowledge/japan/commentary09
http://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/safety/fire/hanshinawaji/higai2.html
https://www.city.ofunato.iwate.jp/www/contents/1454980254594/index.html
Japanese Gender Equality Bureau,
Guidelines for disaster planning, response and reconstruction from a gender-equal perspective （May 2013）
http://www.gender.go.jp/policy/saigai/shishin/pdf/shishin.pdf

Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office,Gender Mainstreaming in Disaster Risk Reduction –The Japanese Experiences