Disaster prevention and control drill integrating gender factors in Hoa Phu commune, Hoa Vang district, Da Nang.
On the morning of April 27, nearly 300 people in Hoa Phu commune (Hoa Vang district, Da Nang city) participated in a disaster prevention and control and search and rescue drill that integrated gender and gender-based violence prevention. The disaster prevention and control drill that integrated gender and gender-based violence prevention is a necessary step to protect the community from natural disasters. This is the first time the city has deployed a comprehensive drill model, with the aim of providing more equitable and effective protection for women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities in natural disasters.
According to United Nations studies, women and children are more severely affected in disasters, from higher risk of death to loss of livelihood and difficulty in recovery. In emergency situations, the risk of gender-based violence also increases, requiring response plans to be sensitive and responsive to the diverse needs of the community.
Attending and speaking online at the exercise, Ms. Caroline T. Nyamayemombe, UN Women Representative in Viet Nam, emphasized: “Today’s exercise helps us reflect on how to better meet the needs of women, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. If these needs are not addressed promptly, the recovery process will be delayed and the resilience of the community will be weakened”.
Also speaking online, Ms. Rebecca Wood, Deputy Ambassador of New Zealand to Viet Nam, said: “This exercise is a step forward in ensuring that emergency responses are gender-sensitive, inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of all members of the community – regardless of gender, age or ability. We hope this exercise will reinforce the message that gender should not be an afterthought but should be integrated from the beginning of all disaster management activities”.
Mr. Bui Quang Huy, Deputy Director of the Center for Policy and Techniques for Disaster Prevention and Control, said: “Gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence are important, inclusive issues that effectively and practically contribute to disaster prevention and control activities, especially at the grassroots level. Women and girls with inherent disadvantages due to gender inequality in society are particularly vulnerable and at high risk of violence, abuse, harassment, and exploitation in emergency situations after natural disasters or during evacuation activities. Therefore, integrating factors related to gender equality and prevention and response to gender-based violence, ensuring safe evacuation is a new but extremely important issue in disaster prevention and control work, ensuring that all subjects are safely evacuated and no one is left behind.”
Mr. Bui Quang Huy, Deputy Director of DMPTC, spoke at the disaster prevention and control drill in Hoa Phu commune, Da Nang city.
The drill content includes 02 phases:
Phase 1: Mechanism drill.
Phase 2: Field drill: Organize the mobilization of the people's police force, militia and self-defense force to support the evacuation of assets from the disaster area.
Due to careful preparation in all aspects, both the mechanism operation drill and the field drill closely followed the situation, ensuring the content, time and sequence of steps, meeting the requirements, and ensuring the safety of people and vehicles participating. The drill promoted the combined strength, well implemented the "4 on-site" motto and contributed to propaganda, education, raising awareness, responsibility and proactiveness, response capacity in disaster prevention, control and search and rescue of Party committees, authorities, departments, branches, armed forces and people.
In addition to implementing the “4 on-the-spot” principle, gender factors were integrated throughout each step of the exercise. Activities were designed to prevent physical, mental, sexual, and economic abuse against all population groups, with priority given to creating a safe environment for vulnerable groups.
Sharing after the drill, Ms. Ra Pat Thu Phuong (Phu Tuc village, Co Tu ethnic group) recalled the storm in 2023: "When the flood came, the water reached the house, the land collapsed loudly in the night, my family had to evacuate in a hurry. At that time, I could only hold my child, call my parents and husband to run immediately, my heart was filled with fear".
Participating in this drill, Ms. Phuong learned many practical skills: "I know how to evacuate people, livestock, and poultry to protect property and life. At the shelter, I was also instructed to recognize domestic violence, sexual abuse, and how to contact the hotline when I needed support".
She added: "We were given sanitary napkins, instant noodles, instant porridge, and information leaflets and felt very secure when the shelter had enough places to wash hands, separate toilets for men and women, ensuring cleanliness and safety for the whole family and the community".
The drill in Hoa Phu is expected to be the first step in replicating the gender-sensitive disaster prevention model nationwide, contributing to building safer, fairer and more sustainable communities in the face of challenges from climate change. The drill is an important first step in building safer and fairer communities in the face of natural disasters. Gender mainstreaming not only helps protect vulnerable people but also improves the effectiveness of disaster prevention and control work. It is hoped that this model will be replicated in other localities across the country.