The multiplier effect: why investing in women is key to global disaster recovery

The multiplier effect: why investing in women is key to global disaster recovery

Ukraine women

In times of wars and climate disasters, it’s women who hold the key to recovery. This year is no different.

The war in Ukraine, compounded by the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and local natural disasters, have worsened gender inequality. In the past two years, unpaid care burdens have skyrocketed, violence against women has risen, the number of women in employment has dropped, and men continue to hold the majority of positions of power. The women who can work are earning less than men for the same job.

But while women are often the hardest hit and last to recover from a crisis, it’s during times of crisis that women lead and contribute to their communities in ways which can go unacknowledged. But when they rise, others in their circle rise too.

The multiplier effect

At the international aid organisation CARE, we’ve seen firsthand that when one woman escapes poverty, she brings at least four others with her — we call this the ‘multiplier effect’.

It highlights how if women are lifted up, they are likely to re-invest their time and income back into their families and communities.

Investing in women today is an investment in her future and the future of her community.

There is no quick-fix solution to levelling the field for women, but Australians can do their part to help those most in need. Supporting women to lead, escape crises, and tackle the barriers they face at work, home, school and in humanitarian situations, is possible through charitable donations.

This is especially important this year as even more barriers arise for women to overcome. In Ukraine, more than 5.5 million refugees have fled the country and the number of internally displaced people has reached almost 8 million. It’s estimated that 90% of those are women and children.

The war is a humanitarian crisis and women and girls are especially at risk of sexual abuse, exploitation, trafficking and intimate-partner violence.

At the same time, they have also become sole heads of households, providing care, education, financial support and aid to families and communities as men are conscripted. Reports from the region highlight that women are actively engaged in volunteering efforts and are at the forefront of providing assistance to affected communities.

Closer to home, in Australia and the Pacific, women are also disproportionately impacted by natural disasters. They are more likely to die or be injured during and in the aftermath of a disaster and also face an increased risk of violence. Yet they are also increasingly undertaking disaster training to prepare for natural disasters and safeguard their communities.

While women make up the majority of people using and delivering humanitarian aid, they are still systematically excluded from humanitarian decision-making. Changing this is an important part of CARE’s work.

As this financial year draws to a close and we consider donating to causes close to our hearts, it’s important we consider the broader role we can play in the world. Donations to registered charities are tax-deductible so it’s a smart move for your own spare change, while potentially triggering a vital domino effect for women around the world.

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