The Warias of Indonesia in Disaster Risk Reduction

Citation:

Balgos, Benigno, J.C. Gaillard, and Kristinne Sanz. 2012. “The Warias of Indonesia in Disaster Risk Reduction: The Case of the 2010 Mt Merapi Eruption in Indonesia.” Gender & Development 20 (2): 337–48. doi:10.1080/13552074.2012.687218.

Authors: Benigno Balgos, J.C. Gaillard, Kristinne Sanz

Abstract:

English Abstract:
This field note draws upon the concepts of vulnerability, marginalisation, and capacity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people to face natural hazards. As a case study, this paper highlights the response of warias, members of the LGBT community in Indonesia, during the 2010 Mt Merapi eruption. Through key informant interviews and observation of actual relief operations led by warias in several evacuation sites in Yogyakarta and Central Java, the paper highlights that warias contributed to disaster risk reduction (DRR) even though they are marginalised and discriminated in the country because of prevailing religious and societal attitudes. The paper argues that their needs and capacities should be acknowledged in DRR policies and practice.
 
French Abstract:
Cette note de terrain a recours aux concepts de vulnérabilité, de marginalisation et de capacité des personnes homosexuelles, bisexuelles et transsexuelles (HBT) à faire face aux aléas naturels. Comme étude de cas, cet article met en relief la réaction des warias, membres de la communauté HBT en Indonésie, durant l’éruption de 2010 du Mont Merapi. Grâce à des entretiens avec des interlocuteurs clés et l’observation d’opérations humanitaires menées par des warias dans plusieurs sites d’évaluation à Yogyakarta et au centre de Java, cet article souligne le fait que les warias ont contribué à la réduction des risques de catastrophe (RRC) en dépit du fait qu’ils sont marginalisés et victimes de discriminations dans le pays à cause des attitudes religieuses et sociétales répandues. Les auteurs de cet article soutiennent que leurs besoins et capacités devraient être reconnus dans les politiques et pratiques de RRC.
 
Spanish Abstract:
Esta nota de campo se centra en la vulnerabilidad, la marginación y la capacidad de las personas lesbianas, gays, bisexuales y transexuales (LGBT) de enfrentar los desastres naturales. A modo de estudio de caso, este ensayo destaca la respuesta de los warias, integrantes de la comunidad LGBT de Indonesia, tras la erupción de Monte Merapi en 2010. Mediante entrevistas a informantes clave y la observación de operaciones de ayuda concretas encabezadas por los warias en varias localidades evacuadas de Yogyakarta y Java Central, el ensayo subraya que los warias ayudaron a reducir los riesgos de desastres (DRR por sus siglas en inglés) a pesar de la marginación y la discriminación que sufren en el país por las actitudes religiosas y sociales. El ensayo sostiene que las necesidades y las capacidades de los warias deberán tomarse en cuenta en las políticas y prácticas de DRR.

Keywords: LGBT, waria, disaster risk reduction, humanitarian action, capacity, vulnerability, Indonesia

Topics: Environment, Environmental Disasters, LGBTQ, Religion Regions: Asia, Southeast Asia Countries: Indonesia

Year: 2012

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