India’s G20 Working Group on DRR advances global cooperation

In a world increasingly exposed to geophysical hazards and extreme weather events, international cooperation on disaster risk management has become imperative. India has taken a significant step in this direction by establishing a G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group (DRRWG) during its G20 presidency, which brings together the world’s largest economies to address global resilience to disasters and climate risks.

2023 is a crucial year, as it marks the midpoint of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, adopted by 187 nations in 2015 to align disaster risk reduction with the Sustainable Development Goals. India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has emphasized women’s leadership in disaster risk management, including gender-responsive measures such as joint registration of post-disaster reconstruction housing in the name of heads of household masculine and feminine.

India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has initiated the Aapada Mitra scheme, which aims to train and mobilize one lakh citizen volunteer disaster responders across the country, with a substantial representation of women. The G20 DRRWG has echoed these gender-responsive and inclusive approaches, ensuring that diverse perspectives are considered when planning international cooperation in disaster risk management.

The role of women in disaster risk reduction is essential, given their ability to strengthen local resilience while facing increased vulnerability. Women in coastal communities, such as the Sundarbans region of India, have led efforts to restore and sustain mangroves, providing protection from cyclones, contributing to climate change mitigation, and sustaining local livelihoods and food security.

However, gender norms often place women at the intersection of climate and disaster risks. Increased droughts, for example, intensify women’s care responsibilities and hamper their livelihoods as they have to travel farther to collect water. Women’s limited asset ownership also leaves them at a disadvantage when it comes to risk insurance and post-disaster compensation. In addition, they are at greater risk of gender-based violence after disasters.

The Indian G20 Presidency’s focus on women-led development has prompted more countries to allocate resources for inclusive disaster risk reduction. To harness these resources effectively, it is crucial to invest in the collection of data disaggregated by sex, age and disability and in gender-responsive socio-economic assessments. Training women at the grassroots level to lead these efforts will not only improve data collection but also provide comprehensive information on local risks and resilience.

In addition, accelerating investments in initiatives led by women and women’s collectives, together with the establishment of institutional mechanisms for the participation of women in decision-making at all levels, is essential to transform local sustainable development processes and strengthen Gender equality.