A Policy Advocacy Event Related to Climate Change

“Women engaged in supporting community to cope with disasters and climate change” was the theme of the advocacy communications event held by the Women’s Union of Hai Duong and Huong Phong communes in Huong Tra district of Thua Thien Hue province.   

 In the evening of July 14^th 2015, the Women’s Union of Hai Duong and Huong Phong communes collaborated with SRD to offer a range of theater based communication activities in the People’s Committee of Hai Duong commune hall. Representatives of the Standing Party Committee, the People’s Committee and the mass associations of Hai Duong and Huong Phong communes together with female officials and members of the rapid response teams in 12 villages of the two communes, reporters from the Quang Tri provincial television and residents of Hai Duong commune all took part in enjoying the activities.

“Flood in Our Hometown” performed by women of Huong Phong commune. 

The event  was one of three policy advocacy activities planned within the “Feminist Participatory Action Research” project funded by the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development. Between March 2012 and June 2014 the “Community based disasters risk mitigation and climate change adaptation” project was implemented and there were 60 women in 12 villages of Huong Phong and Hai Duong communes participating in the rapid response teams at the village level. Through training courses and proactively taking part in community support activities to prepare and respond to disasters before, during and after they occur, many women were able to increase the level of courage and confidence. Nowadays, they can be able to involve and carry out tasks like flood preparedness, house reinforcement, disaster rescue which were previously performed by men only. The communities and local authorities recognized the women’s role and their commendable contributions to supporting communities in coping with disasters and climate change.

 “June’s Storm” tableau highlighted the role of women’s in dealing with disaster performed by the women of Hai Duong commune

In speaking at the event, Mr Ngo The, the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and the Chairman of the People’s Council of Huong Phone commune emphasized that “due to the impacts of climate change, natural disasters are currently unpredictable and do not follow any regular pattern like before. For example, there were two consecutive storms in May and June that occurred 2 or 3 months earlier than in the previous year. Through the project supported by SRD, women got the chance to participate in rapid response teams and support the locals, which they did with enthusiasm. Although women are one of the vulnerable groups to disasters, they have sustainably contributed to their local areas. There were things that men could not do, but that women do well. Therefore, the local authorities placed their trust in the women and established the female rapid response teams. The participation of women, in my opinion, is absolutely necessary. This is because women are responsible for family logistics and logistics is one of the four criteria in storm and flood control.”

With these positive changes, the communications event aimed to replicate the model for women taking part in village rapid response teams and increasing the women’s role in supporting their communities to cope with disaster and climate change in other communes and districts. The event also advocated local authorities to imposing regulations and policies regarding the addition of female members to the rapid response teams at the village and commune level towards a safer community and comprehensive participation. 

-SRD-