Discussions with about 7,500 women affected by the 2004 tsunami in five Asian and African countries revealed that women continue to face violence, discrimination, and exploitation, a report said. What challenges do these women face at present and what are their calls to actions?

Women survivors of the 2004 tsunami highlighted that the failure to involve women and girls in decision making on relief and rehabilitation has fueled an increase in violence against them. In addition, these women said that the violence continues until today, two years after the disaster struck them.

This is according to the report “Violence against women in the post-tsunami context” released by the Alliance of Women Affected by the Tsunami in New Delhi, India last March 28. The report calls upon governments and representatives that were meeting at the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit on April 2-4 to take action in ensuring that women’s rights are protected amidst all disasters.

Based on discussions with over 7,500 tsunami-affected women in five countries (Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, and Somalia), the report is accompanied by a charter of demands endorsed by more than 160 organisations in India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. It stipulates, “Women were left out of consultations, formulation of policies and design of programmes for relief operations, camp management, damage and needs assessments, allocation of houses and land, and the rebuilding of livelihoods.” Furthermore, women in relief camps continue to face poverty, violence, and lack of privacy.

The report also noted that governments’ compensation and rehabilitation programmes leave out women who were older, single, or had disabilities because governments tend to recognise men as the head of households.

Through discriminatory policies and practices, women’s rights to information, decision-making, food, water, sanitation, education, health, housing, land and livelihood have all been violated in the wake of the tsunami.

The threats of eviction and relocation of fisher families were among the concerns raised by tsunami survivors, as these result in losses in women’s sea-based livelihoods. The report has documented such cases. In one particular case, a resident of Kargil Nagar, India said, “We were shifted to a place where there is no work, no food to feed our children. I sold my kidney and got a small amount. They did not give me the promised amount. Now I am suffering with heavy abdominal pain. I cannot work.”

The December 26, 2004 tsunami killed more than 230,000 people in 12 countries in Asia and displaced another 1.5 million.

Violence Against Women amidst Disasters

Under the Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, states have a responsibility to end all forms of violence against women and ensure that women’s rights are protected, even in the worst of disasters. The sustained denial and abuse hampers women’s recovery and denies them dignity and security.

The report highlights the following recommendations to governments:
- eliminate all forms of violence against women—civil, political, social, cultural and economic; 
- ensure that women’s rights are protected in the wake of all disasters;
- punish those who perpetrate violence against women;
- ensure the implementation of laws and policies to prevent violence against women;
- guarantee appropriate access to education and health facilities in post disaster situations for girls and women;
- ensure women's rights to land and their access to adequate housing; and 
- put in place livelihood rehabilitation programmes for women.

Sources:
"Tsunami survivors call for SAARC action to end violence against women" from the Daily Mirror, posted on April 9, 2007, <http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/04/09/feat/1.asp>. "Violence Plagues Female Tsunami Victims" from Newsday.com, posted on April 1, 2007, <http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-tsunami-women,0,785881,print.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines>.

Sources:
“Tsunami survivors call for SAARC action to end violence against women” from the Daily Mirror, posted on April 9, 2007, <http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/04/09/feat/1.asp>.
“Violence Plagues Female Tsunami Victims” from Newsday.com, posted on April 1, 2007, <http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-tsunami-women,0,785881,print.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines>.
“Women survivors of the tsunami are the greatest victims of discrimination” from AsiaNews.it, posted on April 2, 2007, <http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=8895&size=A>.
“Women Tsunami Survivors Face Exploitation, Discrimination” from Feminist Majority Foundation, posted on April 5, 2007, <http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=10239>.
“14th SAARC Summit: Don't Forget The Rise In Violence Against Women-Tsunami-Survivors” from Scoop Independent News, posted on April 2, 2007, <http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00013.htm>.