Integrating Gender and Behavioral Sensitive Approaches to Enhance DRM in Haiti

Context and objectives

Women and girls are often affected differently by disasters than men and boys due to inherent gender bias. As a country vulnerable to recurring disasters, Haiti also faces severe challenges regarding gender equality. In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, Haitian women were found to be at risk from physical and sexual violence in emergency settings (such as within displaced-person camps) and from uneven access to recovery services, which are not typically suited to address women’s needs. It is imperative that women be involved in the disaster response process so that their needs are met during emergencies.

In this context, the ACP-EU NDRR program conducted an in-depth study that examined the gender disparity in the DRM sector in Haiti to inform future DRM frameworks. 

Main activities and results

Component 1: Gender Gap Analysis in the DRM sector - This analysis analyzed how gender was previously approached in DRM in Haiti, and identified strengths and gaps, and developed indicators to establish a baseline upon which progress can be measured. Outputs from this component included:

• A study highlighting current roles and responsibilities of women, girls, men, and boys in the DRM process identifying gaps; and providing recommendations to address gender inequalities and women empowerment in DRM.
• 2 Stakeholders consultation workshops

Component 2: Behavioral approaches in DRM - One of the selected recommendations from the study was piloted for design. The outputs from this component included:

• The design, test, and re-design of at least one recommendation from the study
• At least 1 stakeholder consultation workshop
• Lessons learned to replicate experiences in similar contexts
• A design proposal document documenting a proposed intervention and evaluation 

The Government of Haiti created a technical working group co-led by the Civil Protection Directorate within the Ministry of Interior and Local Authorities and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women's Rights. This group identified the objectives and priorities of the study and agreed on the action plan for the study. An international NGO based in Haiti was contracted to support the Government in collecting field data for the gender and behavior analyses, and completed this study in September 2020. 

Partnerships and coordination

This project was implemented in close collaboration with Haitian national ministries and agencies, including the Civil Protection Directorate within the Ministry of Interior and Local Authorities; the Ministry of Economy and Finance; the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women's Rights; and other sectoral institutions that are part of the National DRM System, including Health, Education, Planning, Transport and Public Works, Social Affairs, Agriculture (hydromet services); women's associations, UN Women, and the United Nations Development Program.

Useful Links

The study on behavioral insights for shelter design in Haiti is available in English and in French.