Browsing by Subject "haavoittuvuus"

This thesis examines gendered vulnerability to natural disasters. Due to pre-existing gender inequalities in societies, vulnerability of women and other marginalized groups is heightened during and after disasters. The main purpose of this thesis is to find out what are the structural root causes of gendered vulnerability. Secondly, the purpose is to analyse how these root causes lead to gendered vulnerability before, during and after disasters. Gendered immobility has been identified as a relevant dimension of gendered vulnerability. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is also to examine gendered immobility in the context of disasters. Thirdly, the aim is to discuss how humanitarian work can reduce disaster-related vulnerability. The topic is approached from the point of view of intersectional feminist geography and feminist political ecology. The data for this thesis consists of 19 research reports, with a focus on gendered vulnerability and the experiences of vulnerable people in Global South countries. Additionally, two humanitarian experts were interviewed from Finnish development and humanitarian organizations. The data was analysed by using qualitative content analysis. The analysis revealed three main root causes of vulnerability. These are: 1) gender roles 2) patriarchal cultural and religious practices and norms 3) limited access to resources. These root causes lead to lack of disaster preparedness, immobility during evacuation and rescue phase, vulnerability during response and recovery phases and lastly, to post-disaster immobility. Humanitarian work can improve the status of vulnerable groups during and after disasters. However, through disaster risk reduction, humanitarian work can also tackle the root causes of vulnerability. By integrating immobility in the context of environmental risks to the research of gendered vulnerability, the results highlight the importance of analysing immobility as a part of gendered vulnerability. In addition, the results point out that vulnerability should be approached as a structural issue, highlighting the need for intersectional feminist approach in vulnerability research and in humanitarian work.