Sendai, disasters, and gender equality

During the 3/11 earthquake, Sendai was one of the most badly hit areas in the Tohoku region in Japan. Just a few years after, however, Sendai does not seem to show any traces of that deadly earthquake. Visitors and tourists have returned to see the historic Sendai Castle, the beautiful island of Matsushima, and to relish the delicious food, especially the famous "gyuutan" (ox-tongue dish) of the area.

Sendai has much to offer the world, as well, in terms of disaster recovery. In the words of this city's female Mayor Emiko Okuyama, "we want to transmit information about the Great East Japan Earthquake to the world, and share our experiences." Next year, in March, Sendai will host the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRRIII).

To prepare for this event, the JWNDRR (Japan Women's Network for Disaster Risk Reduction), together with the College of Social Sciences, University of Hawaii in Manoa, the Sendai Gender Equality Opportunity Foundation and supported by Japan's Cabinet Office, Reconstruction Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs , JICA, and the National Women's Education Center of Japan (NWEC) sponsored a whole afternoon Roundtable Session entitled Proposing Policy for the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction last June 14 at the Sendai City Gender Equality Promotion Center's L-Park Sendai.

Ms. Ana Cristina Angulo-Thorlund of the UNISDR discussed the overview of gender equality in disaster risk reduction and beyond 2015. The keynote speaker, Professor Cheryl Anderson, director of the Hazards, Climate & Environment Program of  the Social Science Research Institute of the University of Hawaii presented about Gender and Disaster Risk Reduction.

A round table discussion followed. Ms. Sumie Ishii, the chairperson of the Japan Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) shared their Support Project Evaluation from a gender perspective. She was followed by Ms. Yaeko Kisu of the Sendai Gender Equal Opportunity Public Foundation who discussed about creating a system in Japan to support women in times of disaster. Tokyo University associate professor Jackie Steele talked about diversified political representation and democratizing DRR decision-making. Ms. Yaeko Tabata , president of the Morioka Women's Center and Ms. Etsuko Chiba, president of the Fukushima Gender Equality Center, respectively talked about proposals for restoring everyday life in disaster-affected communities and about proposals from Fukushima, the site of the nuclear plants.

Ms. Akiko Domoto, the first woman governor of Chiba Prefecture in Japan from 2001-2009 and the third in Japanese history, who is now president of the JWNDRR , actively summarized and encouraged the rest of the audience to share their views of the policy proposals mentioned by the round table discussants.

It was refreshing to hear so many Japanese women, as well as foreigners, from various parts of Japan as well sharing their experiences of the 3/11 disaster and their suggestions for better disaster risk reduction and management, especially for the vulnerable groups — the women, those with other sexual orientations, the elderly, the children, persons with disabilities and migrants, among others.

All the participants were one in desiring to bring to the world forum the need for gender sensitivity and sensitivity to vulnerable groups to be part and parcel of all practices and policies related to "disaster risk assessment, early warning, information management, and education and training."

With gender mainstreaming considered seriously in all phases of policy and practice, some of the action priorities suggested included identification, assessment, measurement of disaster risks and improvement of early warning, making use of knowledge, technology, education in order to formulate a culture of disaster risk reduction at all levels, reduction of potential risk factors, elaboration of advanced preparation for effective emergency response, intensification of efforts to address gender issues, and, support for the preservation of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development to reduce disasters.

For more information and details about the June 14 Round Table event and the proposals for the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, please refer to the websites of  the JWNDRR, the Gender Equality Bureau , Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, and the other organizations mentioned earlier.

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