Pakistan: Women, disabled, and poor more vulnerable during natural disasters

NEW DELHI

Since June, the death toll from floods in Pakistan has surpassed 1,000, with thousands more injured or displaced.

At least 1,033 people have died and 1,527 have been injured as a result of the rains and consequent floods. Almost 119 people have died and 71 have been injured in the last 24 hours.

The floods affected the lives of millions of people after which the Pakistan government declared a national emergency.

Despite the fact that the disaster affects everyone equally, women, the elderly, and the disabled suffer the most.

According to Karachi-based journalist Lubna Jerar Naqvi, the poor, the disabled, and women are especially vulnerable and disproportionately affected by natural disasters.

In pics | Flood havoc in Pakistan; thousands forced to flee their homes

Naqvi cited UN Assistant Secretary-General Asako Okai, who recently stated that when disaster strikes, women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men.

According to Naqvi, the destruction of infrastructure will have a greater impact on women than on men because women spend more time at home, which means that with so many homes damaged, thousands of women and their children will be forced to live outside.

She added that being forced to remain in the open and share space with strangers could have an effect on a woman's mental state.

Pakistan has been in the midst of a humanitarian crisis since July. The country has been devastated by deadly floods, affecting 15% of its population.

According to the official tally, over 1,000 people have died and another 1,527 have been injured as a result of the rains and flooding since June 14.

These figures do not provide an accurate picture of how many women have been killed, injured, or displaced. Furthermore, women and girls are underrepresented in mainstream media and social media. This is when women account for roughly 48.5 percent of Pakistan's population.

Natural disasters such as droughts, floods, heat waves, extreme colds, and earthquakes are common in Pakistan. Pakistan ranks eighth among countries most affected by extreme weather events between 2000 and 2019, according to the Climate Risk Index 2021.

(With inputs from agencies)

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