psycho social needs of women after disaster

8/6/2019 Psycho Social Needs of Women After Disaster

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Psychosocial needs of women after disaster;Psychosocial needs of women after disaster;

Emotional Reactions to traumatic events.Emotional Reactions to traumatic events.

DR. PALLAVI A. JOSHIDR. PALLAVI A. JOSHIConsultant Psychiatrist and AssistantConsultant Psychiatrist and AssistantProfessor, JNMC,Wardha.Professor, JNMC,Wardha.


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Points to coverPoints to cover

1.Disaster and its types1.Disaster and its types

2.Why females need special attention2.Why females need special attention

3.Special vulnerable factors for women3.Special vulnerable factors for women 4.Needs4.Needs

5.Reactions5.Reactions

6.Management in brief6.Management in brief


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Disaster and its typesDisaster and its types--

DisasterDisaster ---- Damaging eventDamaging event due to the actualization of predue to the actualization of pre--existing risk conditions. A serious disruption of the functioning ofexisting risk conditions. A serious disruption of the functioning of

society caused by natural, social, or technological hazards. Consequentsociety caused by natural, social, or technological hazards. Consequent

widespread human, material, or environmental losseswidespread human, material, or environmental losses exceed theexceed theability of the affected society to cope using only its ownability of the affected society to cope using only its own

resources.resources.

TYPESTYPES-- 1.NATURAL1.NATURAL-- eg.eg.--floods,tsunami etc.floods,tsunami etc.

2.ARTIFICIAL2.ARTIFICIAL-- eg.eg.--bombblastsbombblasts


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why females need special attentionwhy females need special attention--

Disasterswork like the magnifying glass of a society.Disasterswork like the magnifying glass of a society.They magnifywhat is good andThey magnifywhat is good and

what needs sincerehelp.what needs sincerehelp. Disasters do not affect everyoneDisasters do not affect everyoneequally.equally. What you are andwhat you do, determines yourWhat you are andwhat you do, determines your

fate. The strong and theweak stand out. This is true forfate. The strong and theweak stand out. This is true forthethe gender issuesgender issues as muchas for other issues.as muchas for other issues.

Kiran S. Gupta, civil servant in Sriganganagar,Kiran S. Gupta, civil servant in Sriganganagar,RajasthanRajasthan


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These disasters occurred in vastly differentplaces among different populations, yet theyshare a common factor: during and

afterwards, women and children sufferedmost. That women are disproportionatelyaffected by disasters is indisputable yet itcontinues to be ignored: by governments, and bymany non governmental agencies involved inrelief and reconstruction efforts.

Caught in the Storm:The Impact of NaturalDisasters on Women.The Global Fund for Women


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India and Sri Lanka more women died in thetsunami then men, almost 80% of the dead were women. The

tsunami not only killed more women, it produced some verygender-specific after shocks, ranging from women giving birth in

unsafe conditions to new forms of violence against women:forced recanalisation of women and tsunami marriages. InThailand, women were discriminated even in death: thegovernment assistance for funerals provided twice as muchmoney for a mans death than for a womans because men wereregarded as heads of households and breadwinners.


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SocialSocial--cultural falloutscultural fallouts

Political issuesPolitical issues

Women as survivorsWomen as survivors

INCREASED DISTRESS ANDINCREASED DISTRESS AND

VULNERABILITY.VULNERABILITY.


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Why females need special attentionWhy females need special attention--

POLITICAL ISSUESPOLITICAL ISSUES

Subjective political perceptions.Subjective political perceptions.

Lack of legal help .Lack of legal help .

Coercion to keep quiet about the assault.Coercion to keep quiet about the assault.


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Why females need special attentionWhy females need special attention--

WOMEN AS SURVIVORS.WOMEN AS SURVIVORS.

Lack of privacy in camps.Lack of privacy in camps.

Further exploitation.Further exploitation.

Tendency to internalize.Tendency to internalize.


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Special vulnerability factorsSpecial vulnerability factors--

EconomicEconomiclack of access to resourceslack of access to resources SocialSocialdisintegration of social structuresdisintegration of social structures EcologicalEcologicaldegradation of the environment and inability to protect itdegradation of the environment and inability to protect it O

rganizationalO

rganizationallack of strong national and local institutional structureslack of strong national and local institutional structures EducationalEducationallack of access to information and knowledgelack of access to information and knowledge MotivationalMotivationallack of public awarenesslack of public awareness PoliticalPoliticallimited access to political power and representationlimited access to political power and representation CulturalCulturalconstraining beliefs and customsconstraining beliefs and customs PhysicalPhysicalweak buildings or individualsweak buildings or individuals

Source: SEEDS,Source: SEEDS, Report on Women, Children, Aged andChallengedReport on Women, Children, Aged andChallenged(2001); prepared for Indias High(2001); prepared for Indias High--Powered Committee on DisasterPowered Committee on Disaster


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INCREASED VULNERABILITYINCREASED VULNERABILITY

AMONGW

OMENAMONGW

OMEN

PHYSICAL IMPACTPHYSICAL IMPACT

EMOTIONAL IMPACTEMOTIONAL IMPACT

SOCIOSOCIO--ECONOMIC IMPACT.ECONOMIC IMPACT.


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Physical ImpactPhysical Impact

Soreness.Soreness. Sleep disturbanceSleep disturbance Eating disturbanceEating disturbance

Gynecological problemsGynecological problems InjuriesInjuries MiscarriagesMiscarriages Aches and painsAches and pains

Physical impairmentsPhysical impairments Assault injuryAssault injury raperape


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Socioeconomic impactSocioeconomic impact

Inability to workInability to work

Listlessness.Listlessness.

Feeling isolated.Feeling isolated. Feeling stigmatized.Feeling stigmatized.

WithdrawalWithdrawal

Loss of trustLoss of trust

DisorganizationDisorganization

Newer social challenges.Newer social challenges.


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Needs ofwomenNeeds ofwomen--

Ensure that emergency supplies contain specific

needs of women

Ensure women's acess to adequate foodAid distribution for women should be handled

by women

Ensure that women's menstruation needs aremet.


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Ensure Womens Access to Adequate Toilet and

Bathing Facilities Ensure Womens Access to Free Health Care

Services

Protect Women from Violence and Abuse


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Eliminate Head of Household Concept

Ensure Womens Access to Information on

Relief and Rehabilitation Measures Raising Womens Awareness of their Human

Rights


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EmotionalReactions ofwomen To TraumaticEmotionalReactions ofwomen To Traumatic

eventsevents

Damage to the psyche (mind) cannot be obviouslyDamage to the psyche (mind) cannot be obviously

seen, until and unless, it is looked forseen, until and unless, it is looked for

..

..


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EMOTIONAL FIRST AIDEMOTIONAL FIRST AID

all these are not abnormal reactions. They are justall these are not abnormal reactions. They are just

normal reaction to an abnormal event..normal reaction to an abnormal event..

meaning of the loss rat

her t

he loss itself is a muc

hmoremeaning of t

he loss rat

her t

he loss itself is a muc

hmoresignificant measuresignificant measure..

the actual damage being less, the impact may bethe actual damage being less, the impact may be

disproportionately severedisproportionately severe..


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EMOTIONAL FIRST AIDEMOTIONAL FIRST AID THETHE

LATEST PERSPECTIVELATEST PERSPECTIVE the counselors and psychiatrists speak the native languagethe counselors and psychiatrists speak the native language

train women volunteers from the populationtrain women volunteers from the population

BenefitsBenefits-- cost effective,time saving,victims get friendlycost effective,time saving,victims get friendlyeasily to counselors,couselors can visit victims doorsteps.easily to counselors,couselors can visit victims doorsteps.


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Emotional FirstEmotional First --AidAid

The psychological support extended to theThe psychological support extended to the

victims as a part of medical first aid.victims as a part of medical first aid.

The system in which the victim is givenThe system in which the victim is givenreassurance, information and is encouraged toreassurance, information and is encouraged tocome out with her emotions and apprehensions.come out with her emotions and apprehensions.


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psycho social needs of women after disaster

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