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Gender Analysisof the Impact of the 2014 Floods in Serbia


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Gender Analysis of the Impact of the 2014 Floods in Serbia

Author:

Vinja Baanovi

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Note: The views expressed in this study are solely those of the author and contributors and

do not necessarily reflect the official position of the OSCE Mission to Serbia.


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Contents

Introduction 7Methodology 12

Research Findings 15

Access to information 16

Duration of the imminent danger and evacuation 19

The period following imminent danger 24

Key research findings

and recommendations 29


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Gender Analysisof the Impact of the 2014 Floods in Serbia


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9Introduction

3) Collecting gender-sensitive statistical data on gender-sensitive impact odisasters, making a gender-sensitive vulnerability assessment and develop-ing indicators to monitor and measure progress;

4) Increasing awareness o the public and media on the gender-specific vul-nerabilities and needs and concerns in disaster risk reduction, supportingresearch on the benefit o gender-sensitive policies and programmes in dis-aster and climate change risk reduction and poverty reduction;

5) Providing the support necessary or the application o measures and poli-cies that will help prevent disasters rom making the poor even poorer andensuring equal participation between men and women in disaster riskmanagement, improving preparedness, securing a more adequate response,and recovery through capacity building and training;

6) Building the capacities o proessional organizations and institutions to en-able gender mainstreaming into all development sectors.

In Serbia, equality is guaranteed by the Constitution (Article 15 o the Constitutiono the Republic o Serbia), while the state policy on gender equality is defined inmore detail in the Law on Gender Equality (2009), Law on the Prohibition oDiscrimination (2010) and the National Strategy (and Action Plan) or Improvingthe Position o Women and Promoting Gender Equality (2010 2015).

Serbia also ratified the United Nations Security Council Resolution onWomen and Peace and Security and drafed the National Action Plan or theImplementation o the Resolution. Te goal o the Resolution and the NationalAction Plan is increasing the participation o women in the security sector (ar-my, police and similar services), ensuring the involvement o women in makingsecurity-related decisions and designing security policies, as well as introducinggender-sensitive policies in the domain o security.

Moreover, Serbia ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination oAll Forms o Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). o date, three periodicreports were submitted to the Committee on the Elimination o Discriminationagainst Women, the body that monitors the implementation o the Convention.

Afer the May floods in Serbia, the United Nations Entity or Gender Equalityand the Empowerment o Women (UN WOMEN) developed a study that pro-vides inormation and guidelines on gender equality during needs assessmentimmediately ollowing the disaster and offers recommendations on achieving

gender equality during the recovery and reconstruction process in flooded ar-


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10 Gender Analysis of the Impact of the 2014 Floods in Serbia

eas.5Based on consultations with emale experts and womens groups, the studyidentified key gender aspects o the impact o floods on employment oppor-tunities and economic status, housing conditions and property, the scope owomens unpaid work, the availability o education, health and social services,as well as the initial response throughout the duration o the state o emergency,evacuation and placement in collective centres.

Te gender dimension o flood protection and rescue activities was recognizedby the Gender Equality Council o the Government o the Republic Serbia too,which held an emergency meeting to discuss this issue on May 29 th, 2014, andconcluded, among other things, that it is necessary to develop gender-sensitivestatistics, risk indicators on social and economic consequences, as well as indi-

cators on reconstruction and recovery. Furthermore, it is necessary to put ad-ditional effort in providing protection or women and girls and ensure equalityin the distribution o aid. Having in mind the legal ramework and the previousresults in Serbia, we expect steps to be taken, in the orthcoming period, towardmainstreaming a gender perspective into emergency management.

Flood risk is also an issue related to the overall human security6, and includesood, water, energy, health security, as well as environmental security. Flood riskrequires a new approach to natural resource management, namely, producing

inormation about the state o the environment and participation in environ-mental decision-making available to citizens.

5 UN Women, 2014, Gender Equality in Post-Disaster Needs

Assessment: Floods Recovery and Reconstruction in Serbia

6 The United Nations (2012) define human security as the right

of all people to live in freedom and dignity, free from povertyand despair.


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11Introduction

Te OSCE Mission to Serbia, in collaboration with Aarhus Centres (centresor promotion and implementation o the Aarhus Convention7), initiated re-search into the gender aspects o floods in Serbia, based on the assumptionthat natural disasters and emergency situations can have different impacts onmen and women and that the degree and nature o risks or men and womencan be different, as are their causes. Gender-specific risks and consequences onatural disasters or catastrophes can be viewed rom several different aspects:different levels and orms o risks, different needs during the period o imme-diate danger and differences caused by gender to (long-term) consequences onatural disasters, including economic, social or emotional.

Te results o the research are based on interviews conducted with residents

o our municipalities hit by May floods (Svilajnac, Parain, Obrenovac andKrupanj), with emale volunteers rom evacuation centers in Dobanovci andeleznik, data obtained rom the Sector or Emergency Management and otheravailable sources related to the duration and status o the emergency, number oevacuees and casualties, number o rescuers on site and the like.

Te goal o the research was to identiy and document gender-specific differ-ences as regards flood risk, so as to inorm the public and ormulate a set orecommendations or improving gender sensitivity in emergency management.

Reconstruction in the afermath o flooding is a social and economic develop-ment issue and has considerable impact on the economy, social welare, health,decision-making and other processes in the country. Tis is why it is especiallyimportant to conduct a timely analysis o gender aspects, not only during thestate o emergency, but also its consequences, in order to mainstream genderinto programmes and policies related to rescue operations and reconstructiono flooded areas.

7 The Aarhus Convention was adopted in 1998 in Aarhus, Denmark.

It is one of the instruments for improving the environment.

The Convention stands on three fundamental pillars: access to

information, public participation in environmental decision-

making and access to justice when the above two rights are

violated. The Republic of Serbia adopted the Law on Ratification

of the Aarhus Convention in 2009. The activities of Aarhus Centres

are aimed at promotion and improvement of the implementation

of the principles incorporated in the Aarhus Convention. The

Aarhus Centre network consists of the centres in Novi Sad, Ni,Subotica and Kragujevac.


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Te research was carried out also to determine the effect o gender patterns onthe health and saety o the population and the impact that the state o emer-gency can have on the status o women.

ogether with international guidelines the results o this research aim to con-tribute to increasing gender sensitive policies in the Sector or EmergencyManagement. Research findings illustrate gender-specific flood risks andshould be considered in the process o advancing gender-sensitive preventionand prevention in general.

Methodology

Te starting point o our research was the assumption that socially determinedgender differences, but also biological differences, between men and womenelicit different kinds o risks and bring about different reactions during emer-gencies and in the afermath.

Te research aimed to determine and document the ollowing:

Te existence o gender-specific differences to flood hazards within acommunity;

Te existence o gender-specific differences related to needs and risk ex-posure during rescue and in the course o immediate danger to lie andproperty;

Ways to enhance prevention and increase access to inormation and par-ticipation o men and women in developing a response to emergencysituations, primarily at local level but also in the management o naturalresources and the environment.

Gender-specific differences related to the risk, rescue and return to the exam-ined flood-affected areas pertain to the period immediately beore and duringthe emergency, namely, during the initial response to the state o emergency(rescuing people and property). Gender analysis o the reconstruction programo the flooded areas is outside the scope o this research, because, among otherthings, reconstruction o residential housing was still ongoing at the time when


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13Introduction

the research was developed, in July, 2014, through efforts co-ordinated by thegovernment o Serbia8.

Te research is based on pre-determined gender aspects, as well as those previ-ously documented in earlier studies (mentioned above) dedicated to gender andnatural disasters. Preliminary identification o relevant gender patterns is oundin areas where gender differences are generally most pronounced includingeconomy, household work, child care and parenthood, decision-making, health,violence against women. Tereore, primary categories considered as relevantin terms o gender include: availability o resources (including inormation),taking care o children and separation rom amily members, personal hygiene,health risks, sexual violence and risks o human trafficking.

Te collection o data was carried out through interviews with residents ocommunities most severely hit by the devastating floods including Obrenovac,Krupanj, Svilajnac and Parain. Te survey was carried out on a sample o 78respondents: 25 rom Parain and Svilajnac, respectively, 16 rom Obrenovacand 12 rom Krupanj. o identiy gender-specific differences, the researchteam interviewed 32 men and 46 women that were exposed to flooding. Terespondents were selected based on random sampling in settlements affectedby flooding. Volunteers rom Aarhus centers Novi Sad and Kragujevac were

engaged in the survey by conducting interviews with returnees in the field.Gender-related differences o residents that took temporary shelter in evacu-ation centers and the type o support provided to them was examined withthe assistance o a ocus group comprised o volunteers9, which were engagedin reception centres in Dobanovci, eleznik (occasionally) and sport cent-ers Pionir and Arena. In addition to inormation obtained by in-person in-terviews, the research also includes inormation provided by the Sector or

8 Since Serbia does not have a well-developed system of

monitoring the consequences of natural disasters with

incorporated gender-sensitive indicators, at this point it

is very difficult to precisely determine the gender-specific

consequences, namely, gender-specific differences impacts of

floods on the status of men and women.

9 We wish to express gratitude to the following senior students

of andragogy, from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of

Belgrade: Tijana Kuzmanovi, Jelena Tasi, Aleksandra Mitrovi,

Nina Stevanovi, Milica urii, Vilena Vinji and NevenaStoisavljevi.


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Emergency Management, which was not gender-sensitive. Te records oevacuees were kept by the Red Cross; however, we didnt receive inormationon the number o evacuated people, their gender and age.

Based on the findings o this research, recommendations were developed or theinvolvement o women in prevention, dissemination o inormation and riskmanagement, mainstreaming gender and gender sensitivity into the system oemergency management. Te recommendations also address the need or ur-ther research into gender aspects o the consequences o the state o emergency,the needs during immediate return to affected areas, restoration and remedia-tion o damage as well as general recommendations or the empowerment owomen during and afer emergency situations10.

10 Recommendations for mainstreaming gender into emergency

management are based on the findings of other studies

conducted in Serbia, international guidelines and the findingsof this research.


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15Research Findings

Research Findings

Tis research demonstrated that both male and emale community memberswere unprepared or the state o emergency, and lacked inormation on thecourse o action that should be taken in the event o an emergency. Te citizenswe spoke with were unanimous in stating that they had no access to inorma-tion about what was going on, what was in store and what they could expect.Te research revealed that biological differences but also gender roles were the

underlying reasons due to which a more pronounced sense o helplessnessprevailed among women, because o which they relied, to a much greater extentthan men, upon proessional and organized support. On the other hand, menshowed overall more initiative than women, actively participated in rescuingneighbours and animals, communicated more ofen with the rescue servicesand were more critical o the rescue system at the time o flooding.

Elderly residents living alone were in a particularly difficult position; our studyincluded seven such women and one man, while the majority o respondents

were over 55. Younger male respondents (aged 30 and over), more ofen livedwith their parents. Most respondents were married and had an average o twochildren.

Tree aspects that suraced as key differences between men and women in-duced by gender patterns and liestyles included:

Level o inormation and preffered means o obtaining inormation priorto the onset and during the state o emergency;

Possibilities or evacuation and needs during placement in collective cen-tres and

Difficulties immediately afer returning to the residential units, more pre-cisely challenges during rehabilitation.


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Access to information

Inormation obtained by citizens, through inormal channels only, did not includeinstructions on how to act in the event o flooding, neither were they notifiedabout procedures during and immediately prior to evacuation. Most respondentsemphasized they were taken by surprize as regards the speed at which they had toleave their homes. Some respondents described the situation in the ollowing way:We had no time to pack. We did not know what to take, where to go or who to wait

or. Te water was rising at tremendous speed, within two hours it was literally overthe roos. Had we waited a little bit longer, we would have drowned.

Te warning system also failed; most respondents stated that: the sirens could notbe heard, adding that they were not informed about what was expected from themand what they should do. Many respondents described their predicament in thefollowing way: We were lef to end or ourselves. Even when the respondents sawrescue teams pass by, knowing they would return, they were not informed aboutwhat to do in the meantime or when the teams would come back. Some residentsspent up to 48 hours in their homes (in Obrenovac) before they were evacuated;on an average, some respondents spent just as much time in Jefimija ElementarySchool, in Obrenovac, where they were either evacuated or found refuge on their

own because it was located on the highest point beyond reach of the flood.

Figure 1. Graphical presentation of respondent answers to the question: Were youinformed about the possibility of evacuation and the risk of flood?


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17Research Findings

Residents we talked to believe that emergency alert should be broadcasted inthe media (67%) and/or sounded by sirens (42%). Te percentage o womenpreerring media was somewhat higher than that o men, who avoured theuse o both sirens and the media. Tis issue was also interesting because menshowed stronger interest in the unctioning o the system and were morecritical about the organization o the protection and rescue system. Still, thecommunity alert siren system, even when ully unctional, proved to be insu-ficient. Women highlighted the importance o developing promotional mate-rial (leaflet, brochure or the like) containing inormation about how to act inthe event o an emergency and evacuation, which would assist them in copingwith the situation.

Answers provided by the respondents demonstrated that women preerred re-ceiving official inormation, while men were prepared to obtain inormal in-ormation and to grapple with the situation at hand; namely, they did not stressthat inormation prepared in advance would have been useul. One respondentexplained the discrepancy by the act that men served the army, during whichthey underwent training on the basics o rescue operations during emergen-cies and thereore acquired more knowledge than women. In light o this act,women would have considerably benefited rom organized, comprehensive dis-semination o inormation and education on how to act in case o emergencies.

Te re-establishment o the civil deence system, which was transerred romthe competency o the military to the Serbian Ministry o the Interior, com-menced in 2013 and since then, specialized civil protection units began recruit-ing male and emale volunteers and reservists with experience in the unarmedmilitary service. General purpose civil deence units are within the authority olocal sel-governments and as such can offer a good ramework or providinginormation and education o the community.

Te floods that hit Serbia in May 2014, were marked by the lack o an adequatesystem o dissemination o inormation, oremost to communities living in ar-eas under threat. Out o 78 respondents, only nine were inormed- in some way-about the flood, threat and imminent evacuation beore the actual evacuationbegan. Tese were mostly women a total o six respondents, as compared tothree men (Figure 1). All nine o them obtained inormation in inormal ways,either through individuals working in the police or those engaged in the emer-gency flood response activities.


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Based on the Law on Emergency Situations, the government adopted the Decreeon the Content and Model o Development o Plans o Protection and Rescuein Emergency Situations (Official Gazette o the Republic o Serbia 8/2011-12 which came into orce on February 19th, 2011) and the Guidelines on theMethods o Development o Risk Assessment and Protection and Rescue Plansin Emergency Situations (Official Gazette o the Republic o Serbia 096/2012-28). Based on this legislation, local sel-government units should develop riskassessment plans o their natural surroundings and inrastructure or the areathey cover, and accordingly define modalities and develop evacuation plans oresidents o their communities. In the municipalities that were worst affectedby the May floods, protection and rescue plans were not developed. Te impor-tance o protection and rescue plans is because they contain instructions or:

Preparedness readiness or emergency situations; Mobilization taking action in case o immediate danger or onset o an

emergency; Protection and rescue according to the nature o hazards; Civil deence measures and tasks; Observation, early warning and alerts; Employing protection and rescue teams; Mitigation and elimination o consequences; Inorming the public.

Inorming the public on the content o these plans and their participation inthe development process proved to be very important, since community mem-bers have good knowledge o their local surroundings, including inormationon escape routes, access to different acilities, consequences o certain naturaldisasters and the like. It is also important that local authorities rely on resourcesavailable in the community, including human resources. Tese plans should in-clude capacity building and empowerment o local civil deence systems.


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19Research Findings

Duration of the imminent danger and evacuation

Evacuation was not carried out at an equal pace in all the observed munici-palities - in Krupanj there was no organized evacuation at all, but also in mostparts o Svilajnac and Parain. Te largest number o evacuated respondentswas rom Obrenovac. In the examined group, rescue services carried out evacu-ated in 47.4%, (or 37 respondents), o which the number o women was slightlylarger - 21 as opposed to 16 men (figure 2). Approximately hal o the respond-ents were not evacuated because the rescue teams never reached them or theirsettlement, so some remained in their homes (ascending to higher floors), ororganized evacuated themselves: we moved to a saer location as we did not dare

wait. Answers provided by the respondents clearly demonstrated that amilieswith male members evacuated themselves independently, more ofen, mean-ing they lef their dwellings and ound shelter with neighbours and relativeswho live outside the affected area. Tose that stayed in their home because theycould not be evacuated, described their situation in the ollowing way: We couldnot come downstairs to the ground floor and nobody could get into the house. Tebiggest problem or those remaining in the affected area, was the lack o ood,drinking water and electricity, along with the act that they were cut off romthe rest o the world. Te water level rose to about one meter and I didnt have

anywhere to sleep. I had to sleep on the table and I was completely cut off rom therest o the world or our days, said a emale respondent rom Svilajnac. Also inSvilajnac, where organized evacuation was not an option, people with disabili-ties were especially affected. Medical, ood supplies and drinking water wereprovided to them only afer a couple o days. I could not evacuate mysel becauseI have an artificial hip, but I wasnt araid, even though I was alone. Te doctorscame and I was attached to an intravenous drip, they brought ood and water,said an elderly emale resident o Svilajnac.

Mail respondents considered evacuation more a technical measure, while roman organizational point, the biggest problem or them was the act that they leftheir property. Women were more araid and concerned about themselves andtheir children.


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Figure 2 Graphical representation of respondent answers to the question:Were you evacuated?

Te participants o this study commented that affected citizens, evacuated with-out ormal support (organized rescue operations and instructions) or participa-tion o rescue services were evacuated in boats belonging to their neighbours. Arespondent rom Parain described the situation in the ollowing way: We wereevacuated by a neighbour who owns a boat and who saved many people, he laterdelivered ood and water to those remaining in their homes. All boat owners andvolunteers that participated in spontaneous rescue efforts were men. Womenalso took part in the rescue services and the respondents stressed that womenwere equally skilul as men and that they were amazed by the skills o rescuers,both male and emale. I take my hat off to them, said one respondent romObrenovac, who was evacuated rom his flooded home due to assistance romthe rescuers. Te respondents also noticed that rescue teams rom Denmarkand other countries included emale members. Still, emale community mem-bers showed lack o initiative or a more active role in rescue efforts. One re-spondent rom Obrenovac commented that only one woman he knew activelyparticipated in rescue efforts, together with a neighbour who owned a boat.

Tat woman lives alone, he said, adding that: she is used to doing everything


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21Research Findings

hersel. Tis is indicative o a gender pattern, according to which women, livingin a marital union, are more passive and dependant on their husbands support,which thereby links them to their gender role.

During flood rescue, men entered into the water evacuated arm animals andpets, while women that were alone did not. Wading through the water, whenentering the boats, was perceived by women as one o the greatest health risks.I was araid o the water, more than anything else; we had to wade through deepwater which was very cold. I was araid that I would catch a cold, said a emale re-spondent rom Obrenovac. Men too, were uncomortable with wading throughthe water beore reaching the rescue boats, but only 6 o them depicted this issueas their major concern or difficulty. On the other hand, 13 women described

they were most distressed by having to wade through the water and depictedthis as their strongest ear.

According to statements given by 78 respondents, there were cases when rescueservices evacuated women and children, while male members o their amiliesstayed behind in the flooded areas, believing the situation was not so critical anddoesnt pose a risk to their saety. At the same time they believed they could con-tribute to rescue efforts and protection against floods. Families were separatedin our cases in Krupanj and Parain, when male amily members were absent

due to business, at the time o the onset o floods and evacuation. In the courseo the interviews with the respondents, we learned about cases o amily mem-bers that were evacuated in different boats but also o residents that organizedevacuation or emale members and children, that ound shelter with relatives,while men stayed in the flooded dwellings, upon their own initiative, in orderto start repair work as soon as the water receded. One respondent shared hisstory with us: My wie and children are still staying with relatives and I remainedhere to see what I can do in the house, so they can return to saety, while anotherstated: My wie and children are in Lipnica and Im here in Krupanj. Tey cantcome back because we have not been provided with accommodation yet. Menwere less likely to recognize that the situation had become dangerous and liethreatening, thereore they were more inclined to reuse to be evacuated. Tiswas evidenced by a statement o a respondent rom Obrenovac. At first, I didntwant to be evacuated, because I did not think the situation would become thatcritical, but when the water level started to rise, I had no choice.

Respondents stressed that the Law defining priorities during evacuation, ac-

cording to which, children up to the age o 15, their parents or guardians caring


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or the children, pregnant women, elderly, ill and bed-ridden people are givenpriority, is entirely justified. Tey also pointed out that the responsible servicesinvested considerable time to locate prioritized individuals, which slowed downthe rescue process considerably. Te rescue teams passed by houses in which resi-dents were waiting to be rescued, because they had orders to find a pregnant wom-an at a certain address, but because they werent locals, they had difficulties findingtheir way around and lost a lot o time, a respondent rom Obrenovac com-mented., Tis issue also illustrates the importance o involving local residentsin rescue operations, because o their good orientation in their settlements andknowledge o the streets. Te respondents ound this to be an aspect in whichinadequate organization o rescue services was evident. Men and women whoparticipated in the study agreed that the rescue services should conduct evacu-

ations in a consecutive manner, and in case o limited space in boats, prior-ity should be given to children, pregnant women, sick and bed-ridden citizens.Tey were o opinion that it was necessary to create teams tasked with locat-ing and evacuating affected priority groups, but that a certain number o teamsshould have been assigned to evacuate the general population.

Te respondents spent 48 hours, on an average, without electricity, water, hy-giene products (especially in Obrenovac), regardless o whether they were evac-uated in collective centres located in the flooded municipality or remained in

their homes and waited or the rescue service teams to arrive.

One o the questions in the survey reerred to the respondents perception othe biggest problem they aced during evacuation. Te majority replied thatleaving their property (73%), was the biggest obstacle, ollowed by entering theboat (14%) and wading through the water (13%). More men (73%) than women(58%) emphasized that leaving their property was most distressing or themand a ew were ready to stay in their flooded homes (five male respondents).Te saety and well-being o children and other amily members was a priorityconcern or women and men, alike.

In addition to rising water levels, respondents were concerned about an out-break o disease, oremost because o the shortage o drinking water. Eightwomen and three men depicted this as major threat or them.

Conditions in collective centers in Belgrade or temporary shelters located inthe flooded municipalities (rom which urther evacuation was organized), ac-

cording to the respondents, were evaluated as satisactory, although women and


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23Research Findings

children more ofen ound shelter with relatives and riends, while men stayedin collective centres. Female respondents evacuated rom Obrenovac, accom-modated in the local primary school, waiting or urther evacuation, ound thatmaintaining personal hygiene was a significant problem (particularly or girls),due to the lack o adequate conditions. Respondents commented that theywould have been more mentally prepared had they been inormed, aorehand,about the locations o the collective centres in their municipalities.

In 2009, the Republic o Serbia adopted the Action Plan or establishing a sin-gle service or emergency management and passed the Law on EmergencySituations (Official Gazette o the Republic o Serbia, No 111/2009, 92/2011,93/2012) which defines activities, sets out rules or declaring and managing the

state o emergency; the system o protection and rescue o people and goods;authority, rights, duties and responsibilities (rom state bodies to other physicaland legal persons) and all other issues relevant to the set-up and unctioning othe protection and rescue system.

According to the Law on Emergency Situations, every citizen has the right to beprotected rom disasters and catastrophes caused by natural hazards and otherdisasters. Pursuant to the first principle o this Law, protection and rescue o hu-man lives has priority over all other protection and rescue activities.

Tis Law defines the notion o evacuation as a planned, organized and tempo-rary relocation o the population, livestock, material and cultural goods, statebodies, business companies and other legal persons rom the affected area tothe area demarcated in the Emergency Protection and Rescue Plan, ree romthreat, which provides conditions or living and protection. Moreover, in ac-cordance with Article 58, Paragraph 3 o the Law, residents rom areas or whichmandatory evacuation was ordered shall act in line with the evacuation order.

According to this Law, priority during evacuation will be given to:

Mothers with children up to 15 years o age, namely, other persons legallyresponsible or the up-bringing and caring o minors, younger than 15;

Pregnant women; Sick persons, persons with special needs and other persons dependant on

the assistance and care o third parties; Persons under the age o 16 and over the age o 65 (men) and 60 (women).


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The period following imminent danger

As regards to the question o what the respondents perceived as the biggestobstacle in the period ollowing imminent danger, the majority stated that theimpossibility o returning to their homes caused greatest concern, along withthe act that they were prevented rom cleaning their dwelling afer the wa-ter receded. Out o a total o 78 respondents in our study, 3 respondents romKrupanj and 4 rom Obrenovac said that they did not have anything lef toclean, in other words, their homes were completely destroyed. At the time othe development o this research, only 14 interviewees rom Obrenovac movedback to their homes completely, while others still stayed with relatives and

riends or in rented accommodation in Obrenovac, daily working on the repairo their homes. People ound it very difficult to give up their property and thesense o uncertainty was an additional burden or them. o preserve an activestance towards this unortunate situation and stay physical close to their homes,respondents visited and worked on improving their damaged houses and de-stroyed gardens as much as they could. People over 50 were in the most difficultposition, some o which were unemployed or retired and describe themselves ashaving no chance o building and urnishing the home rom scratch .

Immediately afer establishing the basic conditions or sae return, men andwomen jointly carried out clean-up work in their buildings, which included dis-carding urniture and flooded household appliances and electronics, removingmud and floorings, as well as removing mortar rom the flooded walls. Te re-spondents described that the division o tasks was carried out with men mostlyworking on repairs requiring greater physical effort, while women were moreocused on cleaning afer the heavy-duty jobs were done.

Removing the rubble and destroyed urniture was a serious challenge inObrenovac, which required the engagement o three trucks to transport severaltons o debris, deposited in locations outside Obrenovac. Respondents com-mented that post-flooding rubble removal was not organized in the most ra-tional way due to lack o machinery.

In the local communities within Parain and Svilajnac, respondents commend-ed the well-organized distribution o leaflets containing inormation on healthrisks in the afermath o floods, as well as the distribution o disinectant pack-

ages, which gave them a sense o security, not so much because o the protec-


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25Research Findings

tion provided by the cleaning products, but because it was regarded as proo ogood organization and concern or the returnees. Respondents evaluated thatgood communication between the municipal representatives and affected citi-zens in Parain and Svilajnac considerably acilitated the process o return andrecovery.

Tis research demonstrated that single mothers, households without malemembers as well as elderly households were not capable o carrying out post-flooding recovery works o their dwellings but resorted to paying or removal odebris, whitewashing the walls, placing new flooring and the like.

Psychological support was provided only or residents o collective centres

in Belgrade, but not in collective centres located in municipalities rom otherflood-affected areas. Female respondents rom Krupanj and Parain pointedout that they were support to the children, because proessional support was notorganized. More men than women (28 men, as compared to 13 women), stat-ed that they didnt need psychological support at all, while others did not takeadvantage because o shortage o staff and because they believed they did notneed it that much. Tus, psychological support turned out to be most needed bychildren and women who predominantly took care o children throughout theduration o the emergency.

Tere were numerous collective/reception centres throughout Belgrade, offer-ing considerably differed conditions ranging rom accommodation in spacioushall such as those provided by Pionir and Arena sports centres to small re-ception centres in Dobanovci and eleznik, which mostly housed mothers withchildren. We did not manage to obtain inormation rom the Red Cross on thenumber o women and men accommodated in collective centres.

Based on the estimates provided by the volunteers we talked to, there were morewomen than men among the volunteers, and most o them were young. Terewere a sufficient number o volunteers engaged in organizing accommodation,distribution o ood and clothing, to provide or the basic needs o the evacu-ees; however, the number o those providing psychological support or initiatingree-time activities in the collective centres was much smaller.

For residents accommodated in collective centres ollowing evacuation, the big-gest problem was linked to the uncertainty regarding their return when and

whether they would return and also what theywill return to, moreover, the


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state o their local communities and homes. Apart rom the uncertainty, primar-ily caused by lack o inormation, the absence o activities to fill the ree timehad a negative effect on the psychological well-being o the evacuees.

Tis situation was considerably more difficult or women than or men, or tworeasons:

Gender patterns existing in the private sphere were translated to the col-lective centres, where women were passive, withdrawn, while men struckup riendships, stepped out into the public sphere o the collective cen-tres, took leading and organizational roles, lef the centres, moved aboutlooking or alternative accommodation solutions and work. Women, on

the other hand were more isolated and passive; Women mostly looked afer their children and did not always have proper

proessional support, primarily psychological, which they later describedas necessary.

Men, thereby, participated more in the decision-making processes at the microlevel within the collective centres and due to their greater mobility, took strongerinvolvement and were more integrated, both in the collective center communityand in the new local, social society. Tus, they had more o an illusion o a nor-

mal lie. On the other hand, men were more impatient and proactive regardingthe return home, while women were more passive in this area, too, and moreaware that they could not contribute much on site o the damaged home, either.

Te volunteers were unanimous that the activities, initiated by them, related tolandscaping the green area around the collective centres mowing lawns, plant-ing flower beds, as well as board games and social activities including watchingmovies, exchanging books, proved to useul in a number o ways. In addition toengaging in physical activities, beneficiaries were in better spirit, because it al-lowed them to briefly escape rom their bleak thoughts o their flooded homes.Te greening and cleaning works in areas surrounding the collective centrescontributed to stronger and more relaxed communication o local residentswith the beneficiaries. Tese activities proved to be more successul in smallercollective centres than in sports halls, housing a large number o beneficiaries.Smaller reception centres also proved to be more suitable or preventing andtreating inectious diseases that requently occur in large evacuation centres ol-lowing emergencies.


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27Research Findings

Large collective centres can be a security threat or women, especially thosesituated in isolated areas (such as the reception centre in eleznik), withoutproper lighting and continuous presence o organized support services, be-cause o risk o human trafficking, sexual assaults and harassment. Also, anobstacle in collective centres that affected women more ofen than men was il-literacy and a language barrier among the evacuated Roma women, who did notspeak Serbian, but communicated predominantly in Romani. Te presence oRomani-speaking volunteers should have been ensured in the collective centres,which housed predominantly members o the Roma community.


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29Key research findings and recommendations

Key research findingsand recommendations

INFORMATION LEVEL

Key findings Emergency plans or protection and rescue in municipalitiesobserved by this research, were not developed.

Communities were unprepared, uniormed and untrained on

how to act during the state o emergency and evacuation. Men who served the army had advantage over women, because

o their basic knowledge o how to respond during emergencies,rescue and evacuation.

Te alert system was silent and the inormation about how toact during the imminent flood was not broadcasted on the localradio or television.

Inormation that reached only a limited number o endangeredcitizens was disseminated in inormal ways.

Recommen-dations

Protection and rescue plans during emergencies should include activi-ties related to disseminating inormation and community education onhow to act during emergencies. Activities o the civil protection unitsshould also incorporate outreach activities into their work. Increasedparticipation o women in trainings should be encouraged.

In situations when early warning systems are activated, as arecases o natural disasters, it is necessary to convene meetingswith local community members or residents o particular settle-ments and inorm them.

Distribute written instructions or provide inormation in other

ways. Develop tailored outreach campaigns ocusing on dissemi-nating inormation or develop brochures adapted to the needs othe illiterate, with particular attention to the Roma population.

In cooperation with municipal representatives, organize pub-lic campaigns aimed at raising awareness o the communityon how the emergency warning system works and ensure theparticipation o women.

In cooperation with local radio stations, launch radio shows,broadcasted periodically, that would ocus on activities dur-ing the state o emergency and ways o inorming the public,

particularly targeting women and the elderly.


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EXPOSURE TO RISK, PROTECTION AND RESCUE

Key findings During imminent danger, men were at an advantage becausethey owned boats, possessed basic knowledge o deence and

rescue procedures (especially older men), and were more physi-cally fit than women, consequently to which, single women orwomen with children were at greater risk than those with malehousehold members. Families with no adult male memberswere much more dependent on both organized assistance andinormal support rom neighbours, relatives and riends.

Men were more engaged in flood-protection activities, they hadmore inormation, while women, in greater numbers were alonewith children at the time o flooding.

Tere were no significant differences in the emotional state

o women and men during and afer the period o imminentdanger; however, women emphasized that they would havebenefited rom psychological support afer evacuation, whilemen stated that they did not need this type o support. Womensneed or psychological support was determined by their care ochildren and the childrens emotional state.

Research findings related to the evacuation process demonstrat-ed that due to the lack o resources, biological differences andlevels o skills, women are in greater need o ormal and proes-

sional support. Proessional and organized support related toevacuation and rescue was especially important or women.

Recommen-dations

It is necessary to enhance the civil deence system, to enabletimely evacuation throughout the affected area;

Provide evacuees, especially children, with proessional medicaland psychological assistance.

At the level o settlements, collect inormation on (multiple)vulnerable citizens, with priority during rescue in emergencies,that will acilitate the evacuation process in the community.

Provide support to the establishment o a system o generalpurpose civil deence units at local level, which would involveactive participation o women, ready to respond promptlyskilully during an emergency situation, by participating incontinuous training.


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31Key research findings and recommendations

REPAIR WORK AND NEUTRALIZATION

OF THE EFFECTS OF FLOODS

Key findings Although men and women were equally engaged in cleaning

works o their homes (removal o mud, flooring and repairingwalls) women more ofen did the cleaning, while men discardedbulky debris.

Inormation on post-flooding health risks was available in themedia, but the most efficient system o disseminating inorma-tion was demonstrated at the level o local community offices,through the distribution o promotional material and disinect-ant products.

o provide equal conditions or all community members, it isnecessary to organize charge-ree clean-up assistance to removethe debris rom residential buildings and surrounding plots.Assistance could perhaps be organized by the local sel-govern-ment office through public works that would involve both menand women.

Recommen-dations

At the municipal level, conduct a gender-sensitive assessmento the economic impact o floods: determine the number obusinesses, arms, and other commercial property that suffereddamage and its effect on working men and women, and recordthe strategies, developed by households to compensate or thefinancial loss and loss o agricultural produce. Te assessmentshould also address the impact o the temporary absence osocial and health services on men and women and reveal othersocial and economic consequences o floods on the status owomen and men.

Te provision o paid assistance, in orm o public works,should be allocated to amilies that are unable to repair thedamage on their own (elderly households, single parents, etc.),ensuring that both men and women take part in public works.

Record gender-sensitive statistics on the distribution o aidand financial assistance, to monitor and ensure equality in thedisbursement o donations and aid.

Promote and develop activities, during reconstruction o settle-ments and communities on the whole, in which both men andwomen will play an active role that would particularly supportand strengthen the participation o women.


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GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MAINSTREAMING

A GENDER PERSPECTIVE INTO PREVENTION PLANNING

AND RISK MANAGEMENT

While planning activities related to prevention and management o emergencies or naturaldisasters, it is crucial to conduct an analysis o the capacities and vulnerabilities o differentcommunity groups. Vulnerability, in this context, is considered as restricted access to resourcesessential or survival and recovery afer natural disasters. Tis research has shown that themost vulnerable groups during natural disasters are the elderly, people with disabilities,single mothers and women who live alone in their households. Illiterate people (most owhich are women and Roma) are also among the vulnerable categories. Te research alsorevealed that the underlying cause o the vulnerability o the entire population in emergencysituations is the lack o accessible inormation and an underdeveloped systematic approachto dissemination o inormation, but also insufficient public training on how to act during

emergencies.Records on gender aggregated data as regards the participation o women in emergencymanagement are unavailable, but also inormation on the effect o flood-damage on menand women and distributed aid during repair and reconstruction, which would enablethe analysis o the impact o floods on gender and ensure equality throughout therehabilitation period.Within the ramework o activities related to prevention planning and risk management, a

vulnerability assessment needs to be developed at local level, compile a resource database otheir availability, and ensure proper unctioning o the early warning system and plan initialresponse mechanisms at local level.o ensure gender equality and apply a gender-sensitive approach it is essential to:1. Establish a system o compulsory engagement o women in institutions and bodies

responsible or emergency management (crisis squads at local level), local civil deenceunits and all structures within the Sector or Emergency Management.

2. Develop gender-sensitive protection and rescue plans at local level in consultation withwomen and men, through a participatory process engaging womens organizations andorganizations representing marginalized groups.

3. During the development o local protection and rescue plans, identiy vulnerablecategories o the community, draf plans or evacuation and accommodation oevacuees in consultation with women and men.

4. Define ways to effectively disseminate inormation and warn the community about

a natural disaster, ensure that inormation is accessible to citizens that dont haveelectricity in their homes, the illiterate, disabled persons and women who spend mosto their time at home.

5. At both national and local levels, define measures or achieving gender equality duringpost-flood recovery efforts and define indicators to monitor risks or women and men,but also the impact o reconstruction and rehabilitation on the status o women andmen. Accordingly, data on community risks and damage caused by natural disastersshould be classified according to gender and analysed, with the aim o identiyinggender aspects o the impact.

6. Enhance activities to involve, inorm and motivate the community, especially women indecision making and managing natural resources, environmental protection and riskprevention, during natural disasters.

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