Women and Youth Speak: Faces of Disaster Displacement

Each year millions of people are forced from their homes because of sudden and slow-onset disasters. While disaster displacement is typically traumatic for all, the impacts are often worse for women, youth and children.

They face a variety of challenges before, during and after a disaster strikes. When displaced, they may find it difficult to access information, encounter socio-economic disruptions, face greater risk to gender-based violence or find it challenging to access essential services like healthcare or education. Including women, youth and children in displacement risk reduction activities is essential to reduce impacts and build their resilience. Their differing experiences and knowledge are vital resources for disaster preparedness for response and recovery.

This session will hear stories of displacement and consider policies and practices needed to reduce displacement risk for women, youth and children and promote effective measures to reduce risk, better manage their displacement when it cannot be avoided and adopt a people-centred approach in all actions.