A Qualitative Insight into Gendered Vulnerabilities: A Case Study of the Shishper GLOF in Hunza Valley, Pakistan

Zainab Khalid, Xing-Min Meng and Abda Khalid
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Zainab Khalid: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Xing-Min Meng: School of Earth Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Abda Khalid: Department of Development Studies, COMSATS University Islamabad-Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-21

Abstract: Gendered vulnerability from women’s point of view has gained popularity in disaster studies in recent decades especially in the Global South. The positioning of women in society during normal times gives rise to vulnerabilities that are revealed when a disaster strikes. These vulnerabilities are often deep-rooted in societal makeup, cultural and traditional norms, and the economic fabric of society. In the context of Pakistan, the role of women in disaster risk reduction programs is still an under-researched area. In this paper, the gendered vulnerability progression in one of the mountain rural communities of Hassanabad in Hunza Valley (Northern Pakistan) is analyzed post-Shishper glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) in 2019 and 2020. The study uses empirical qualitative data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with men and women of different age groups within Hassanabad village. A thematic gendered analysis unveiled several interlinked social, economic, and institutional vulnerabilities. The gendered transitional phase of Hassanabad society positively indicates women’s involvement in different spheres of life, including disaster management and mitigation. However, the lack of gender consideration on a formal institutional level exacerbates the gendered vulnerabilities in Hassanabad village. The case study of Hassanabad demonstrated that women not only have an awareness of hazards but are also willing to participate proactively in disaster mitigation activities. Therefore, to reduce community vulnerability and yield long-term positive outcomes of disaster management and mitigation strategies, women must be involved at the formal institutional levels.

Keywords: gendered mobility; women’s vulnerability; Upper Indus Basin; risk perception; rural mountain communities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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