Grassroots Women’s Collectives - Roles in Post-disaster Effort: Potential for Sustainable Partnership and Good Governance (Lessons Learned from the Marmara Earthquake in Turkey)

Citation:

Akçar, Sengul. 2001. “Grassroots Women’s Collectives - Roles in Post-disaster Effort: Potential for Sustainable Partnership and Good Governance (Lessons Learned from the Marmara Earthquake in Turkey).” Paper presented at the Expert Group Meeting on Environmental Management and the Mitigation of Natural Disasters: a Gender Perspective, Ankara, Turkey, November 6-9.

Author: Sengul Akçar

Annotation:

The author describes how women can gain influence, through grassroots organizations, in their communities and governments in post-disaster periods. Akcar states that post-disaster periods are ideal for engendering women’s opportunities: weakened governments, a desperate need for help from any source, international media coverage, and other factors allow women to use their unique skills to gain influence, especially through the gathering and dissemination of vital information. Using the example of women in Turkey after the early 1990s earthquake, the author describes the benefits and problems that can arise from partnering with other grassroots organizations, government-affiliated groups, NGOs, and others. In the end, Akcar notes several key areas, including disaster warnings and post-disaster management, in which women should become more involved.

Topics: Environment, Environmental Disasters, Gender, Women, Governance, Humanitarian Assistance, NGOs Regions: MENA, Asia, Middle East, Europe, Southern Europe Countries: Turkey

Year: 2001