Gender Dimension in Disaster Management: The Vulnerabilities and coping Mechanism in the coastal area of Bangladesh

The attempt of the study was to understand the vulnerabilities and coping mechanism of the disaster affected people and the role of women during, after and before disaster to reduce disaster risk in the coastal area of Bangladesh. For this purpose Bashkhali village of Koyra Upazilla in Khulna district was selected as a study area. Natural disaster is a severe case in this area. The people of this area suffer from many natural disasters every year It was seriously affected by cyclone Aila struck on May 25 in 2009. Then 120 respondents were selected purposively from the selected village. The study was designed by survey method and data were collected through direct interview following an interview schedule. The main objective is to know the disaster management system of the government and NGOs in the study area and to evaluate the existing disaster management system of the government and NGO's in the study area. Natural disasters affect agriculture production, fish resources, crops intensity, livestock resources, people's occupation pattern and frequency or intensity of diseases of the locality NGOs can significantly assist to promote community awareness and preparedness. It was found that 60.8 percent respondents get help from NGOs and 28.3 percent respondents get help from GOs. 42.5 percent respondents get pre-caution through miking, 26.7 percent through television and 25.8 percent through radio news. 5 percent respondents get precaution both by newspaper and other sources. In the situation of the absence of donor agencies 72.5 percent respondents face the calamity by their own self, 15.8 percent by the help of relatives and the rest 117 percent by the help of other sources. In disaster period, 52.5 percent respondents are affected in diarrhea, 29.2 percent respondents affected in cholera, 13.3 percent respondents affected in dysentery and 5.0 percent respondents affected in typhoid. Finally, analyzing and evaluating the study it can be recommended that a national plan should be established, regardless of whether local or regional plans have been developed. It is obvious from the fact that the vulnerability can be reduced through improving socio-economic status and public awareness in the coastal area.

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