Author: Siying Tan
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Thesis no.GD-09-14
Year: 2009
Academic Program: Gender and Development Studies (GDS)
Type: Thesis (M.Sc.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 2009
Examination Committee: Philippe Doneys (Chairperson); Kyoko Kusakabe, Dietrich Schmidt-Vogt (Examination Committee Members)
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 th
Scholarship Donor(s): Ford Foundation
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
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