The urgency of equality: discrimination against women in a disaster affected area of Bangladesh

This study aimed to bring into focus the problems and discriminations (such as gender biased activities in relief goods allocation, lack of privacy and sexual harassment) experienced by women in the disaster affected area in Bangladesh. The investigation also demonstrates the way out to make women prepared in advance for facing disasters and emergency situations. A mixed method approach was followed for data collection. For the quantitative part, 52 disaster affected women from Motlob Thana under the District of Chandpur (one of the most disaster affected area of Bangladesh) were selected. Purposive sampling procedure was used under the survey method. In addition, five female respondents were purposively selected for in-depth interviewing. Findings show that women are greatly discriminated, as 82% of them sacrifice food for their family members, in the disaster affected area. However, most of them do not realize that they are discriminated. The results also demonstrate that 72% of the study populations are discriminated during disaster period because of being women. For example, women have to bring the relief goods by themselves (i.e. husbands found reluctant to do this) and 53% of them face sexual harassment while living in the shelter homes and under the open sky. The study suggests that the patriarchal attitude of the husbands of the respondents and the government and Nongovernment agencies are liable for the discrimination in the disaster affected area.