Though disasters do not discriminate, their impacts affect men and women differently. Globally, women and children are 14 times more likely to die or be injured during a disaster than men.

(TNS) - The vital role of women in reducing the risk of disasters is being highlighted in a regional conference that opened yesterday in Hanoi.

During the three-day “Gender and Disaster Risk Reduction” conference, about 70 government officials, non-governmental organisations, researchers from 22 countries - plus, 200 representatives from government, inter-governmental organisations, the United Nations, the Red Cross, and civil society in Vietnam - gathered to call for urgent action to promote gender equality in disaster risk reduction programmes and policies.

Experts at the conference agree that Asia-Pacific is the most world’s vulnerable region, with seven of the world’s 15 most at risk countries. So the Asia-Pacific is particularly susceptible to the growing impacts of climate change.

Though disasters do not discriminate, their impacts affect men and women differently. Globally, women and children are 14 times more likely to die or be injured during a disaster than men.

Speaking at the conference, Cao Duc Phat, head of the central steering committee for natural disaster prevention control, said that although women often faced more severe impacts, they also hold the key to minimise disaster-related risks.

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