This research is under two main bodies of literature: gender and development studies and disaster management studies. Within disaster management studies, this research addresses issues of sustainability of post-disaster reconstruction. Within gender and development studies, this research focuses on the role of gender mainstreaming within sustainable development. Some literature tends to discuss the sustainability of post-disaster reconstruction and gender mainstreaming as two separate components (Moser and Moser, 2005; Enarson, 2014; Gaillard and Fordham, 2015). However, fundamentally, both issues are interrelated. Sustainability of post-disaster reconstruction is not achievable and finish unless gender mainstreaming is a fundamental aspect of it, and gender issues are not objected that can be discussed from disaster reconstruction (Yonder et al., 2005; Drolet et al. 2015; Chanamuto and Hall, 2015).
The need for integrating gender mainstreaming within post-disaster reconstruction has been emphasized by many studies. Enarson and Chakrabarti (2009) on their review of disaster reconstruction across developing countries found evidence that gender mainstreaming is addressed marginally and often missing in this phase. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) in their policy review revealed that the majority of recovery and
117 reconstruction efforts in many affected countries still reflect traditional gender stereotypes and male bias (UNISDR, 2006). Smyth and Sweetman (2015) in their review of gender and resilience in several developing countries report that although women had less access to rescue and relief and faced much greater vulnerability, such a gender-aware and gender-sensitive approach often missing from the response of the administration. Drolet et al. (2015) further elaborate that exposure to environmental hazards and risk to catastrophic disasters are influenced by social structures particularly gender. However, planning for post natural disaster reconstruction predominantly focuses on the physical management of disasters and also primarily tends to be ‘gender blind.' These situations result in women’s needs and capacities being overlooked by men’s needs and capacities. These situations not only put women under extra pressure but also limit their engagement within the post-disaster reconstruction process where their opinions and points of view are needed for achieving sustainable post-disaster reconstruction.
The interest in studies in gender mainstreaming within disaster management and built environment studies is relatively new (Thurairajah et. al, 2010; Ginige et al., 2010; Smyth and Sweetman, 2015). The concerns relating to the study of gender and disaster are largely contributed from sociology and development literature. These studies give a clear explanation and undeniable evidence that women are primarily victims of hazards and disasters (see among others Enarson and Chakrabarti, 2009; Aboobacker and Nakray, 2011; Gaillard et al. 2015). Despite the increasing concern of gender mainstreaming within disaster management, the relatively little research examines how this concept can be integrated into practice and theory of sustainable post-disaster reconstruction (Aboobacker and Nakray, 2011). Aboobacker and Nakray (2011) explain that while gender is widely recognized as an important consideration in development theory and practice, the integration of gender mainstreaming into thinking and practices into post-disaster reconstruction is just beginning. Gender and development scholars also have shown that acknowledgment of women’s capacities and strengths in development policy are important to enhance the sustainability of development (Alston, 2014; Enarson, 2014; Bradshaw, 2015; Coles et al. 2015). However, few studies in post-disaster reconstruction explore how women’s capacities and strengths should be integrated into policy decisions and all formal arrangements related to recovery and reconstruction. As Ariyabandu and Wicramasinghe (2009, p.9) state that:
“Gender differences in disaster have been discussed primarily in the context of vulnerability. Women’s abilities to mitigate hazards and prevent disasters and to cope with and recover from the effects of disaster have not sufficiently been taken into account or developed“.
118 Participation and partnership between women and men have been highlighted by gender and development scholars as one pillar of sustainable development. But, little is well-known about the methods of supporting and maintaining participation and partnership between women and men for a longer period in community post-disaster reconstruction (Yonder, 2005). Studies in this area are still underexplored and thus demand the exploration of how gender mainstreaming is linked to sustainable post-disaster reconstruction and how it could help policy makers to design better policies and frameworks for more sustainable post-disaster reconstruction.
From the above description, the need is evident for integrating gender mainstreaming in post- disaster reconstruction. Research concerning gender mainstreaming in post-disaster reconstruction has also become more relevant today for Indonesia as well as other developing countries which try to build an environment away from disaster prone areas that are safer and more sustainable. Hence, there is a need to undertake research addressing the question of how to integrate gender mainstreaming into sustainable post-disaster reconstruction. Therefore, this research aims to explore the ways of mainstreaming gender in post-disaster reconstruction to formulate policy relevant findings that integrate a gender mainstreaming perspective into the sustainable development agenda. The case of post-disaster reconstruction in earthquake areas in Indonesia is examined to explain why, how and to what extent gender mainstreaming should be integrated within post-disaster reconstruction policies and practices in positively contributing towards sustainable reconstruction and development agenda.
4.9 Summary of the chapter and links
This chapter reviews and synthesizes the existing literature on gender mainstreaming and sustainability of post-disaster reconstruction. Addressing gender mainstreaming within post- disaster reconstruct ruction can provide window opportunity for sustainable development by addressing gender vulnerability and promoting gender capacity. Gender mainstreaming can provide new opportunities for social sustainability through better opportunities for women and men to access and to participate in social development. It can mean to achieve economic sustainability by bringing equal opportunities for women and men in economic activities. It can mean to achieve environmental sustainability by bringing women and men needs, interests and experience to build environment. However, experiences in many disaster reconstruction policies and practices illustrate that gender mainstreaming is addressed marginally and often missing in this phase. The majority of recovery and reconstruction efforts in many affected countries still reflect traditional gender stereotypes, male bias, predominantly focuses on the physical
119 management of disasters and also largely tends to be ‘gender blind.' These situations result in women’s needs and capacities being overlooked by men’s needs and capacities. Hence, research concerning gender mainstreaming in post-disaster reconstruction has become important as many countries try to build an environment away from disaster prone areas that are safer and more sustainable.
Gender mainstreaming strategy has been promoted by international donors, governments and policy makers across developing countries as a part of sustainable development agenda. However, in Indonesia despite the government has adopted gender mainstreaming strategy within the national development, there are some key challenges associated with gender inequality and sustainability of post-disaster reconstruction; whether reconstruction is used to address gender inequality is in doubt. Therefore, it is wise to study the question of how and what ways gender mainstreaming could have addressed the above challenges. In particular, to what extent gender mainstreaming strategy would link to the sustainability of post-earthquake reconstruction. Thus, this research focuses on the contribution of gender mainstreaming on the sustainability of post-earthquake reconstruction in Indonesia.
The importance of gender mainstreaming into sustainable development has been widely accepted. Since post-earthquake reconstruction is a part of development in many affected countries, it can be therefore presumed that the integration of gender mainstreaming within post-earthquake reconstruction may benefit for converting disasters into development opportunities. Thus, this research has hypothesized that integration of gender mainstreaming strategy into post-earthquake reconstruction may have potential to improve the sustainability of post-disaster reconstruction. Thus, the main focus of the research, therefore, lies with the concept of ‘sustainability’ and ‘gender mainstreaming,' where the research intends to study how the integration of gender mainstreaming strategy into post-earthquake reconstruction contributing to three dimensions of sustainability of reconstruction. Having established the literature review of the study, the next chapter discusses the research methodology selected for the research.
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Chapter 5
Research method
5.1 Introduction
This chapter discusses research method applied in this study. Firstly, it discusses the establishment of research problems. An explanation of the research focus ensues, after which the framework of the research methodology is presented. This section discusses the research philosophy of the study, the research approach and its rationale, the data collection techniques, and the methods applied to enhance the reliability and credibility of the results. Finally, a summary of the chapter and links to the following chapter are described.