Women roles and challenges in the context of China's response and reconstruction in disaster : a case study in Zundao Township in Sichuan Earthquake of 2008 | |
| Author | Tan, Siying |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GD-09-14 |
| Subject(s) | Disasters--China Women in community development--China Women in development--China |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of ScienceinGender and Development Studies, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. GD-09-14 |
| Abstract | The purpose of this study was toexaminewomen‟s roles andchallenges in disaster withconsidering into the context of China‟s response and reconstructionthrough a case study in Zundao Townshipafter 2008 Sichuan Earthquake. To generalize clearerthe affected women‟s situationin this disaster, this research focusesonwomen‟s economic, political and cultural situation after disaster.In this study, the qualitative and quantitativemethodswere bothapplied. To catch up the women‟s situation in households and community‟srecovery, the methods of observation, semi-structured interviews with different positions‟ women, household questionnaires and groupdiscussionwereconducted.It was found thatwomen in China‟scurrent context actually act the importantroles as active participants and major contributors in disaster reconstruction. However, whenwomen were deeperinvolved in households‟ and community‟s reconstruction andrecovery, they have to face morecomplicated challenges: as to the normal households, the financial pressure is every household‟s biggest challenge in this earthquake-per householdin Zundao‟s case on average burden 20,000yuan debts for house rebuilt. Regarding womencloser tohouse, women to some extent suffer more pressure than men in the same shelter. For filling the debts‟ gap due to house rebuilt most households‟ women have to make their effort to increase their income contribution. For thewomenin authority, on one side, they are victims; on the other side, they have to act the leader role to organize community‟s reconstruction and recovery. In the past one year, most of them were more encouraged to be coordinators and mediators in the front of rural conflicts most resulted from house rebuilt, so that their physical and psychological pressure in disaster dramatically increased; Aside from the economic and politicalpressures, women still suffered the cultural and traditional constraints. The gender stereotype to large extent resultstherural women who successfully turn into a new life in a dilemmasituation -the conflicts between the traditional role and the new role.In conclusion, China‟s response and reconstruction on one side created more opportunities for local women to enrich their livelihood and social network, but due to the whole society lack of gender sensitivity, the great reconstruction to some extent resulted in women facingmuch more challenges than before. |
| Year | 2009 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. GD-09-14 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Gender and Development Studies (GD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Doneys, Philippe; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Kusakabe, Kyoko;Schmidt-Vogt, Dietrich; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Ford Foundation; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2009 |