Empowering Resilient Communities: Gender-Responsive Infrastructure for Equitable Recovery

The World Bank's report advocates for integrating gender perspectives in resilient infrastructure, focusing on transportation, water, and energy to reduce women’s disaster vulnerability and promote inclusive recovery. It emphasizes community-driven, gender-responsive strategies to ensure sustainable, equitable development.

The World Bank and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) present a compelling case in their 2024 report, "Entry Points for Integrating Gender Considerations in Resilient Infrastructure," that urges a gender-inclusive approach to infrastructure development, highlighting the heightened vulnerabilities that women face during disasters. The report, backed by extensive research from these institutions, demonstrates how social and economic inequalities leave women disproportionately affected by natural hazards, making them more vulnerable to economic instability, health risks, and gender-based violence (GBV) in times of crisis. Using the World Bank's Gender Tag methodology, the report examines gender disparities in infrastructure sectors and suggests concrete, actionable interventions to create more resilient systems. Specifically, it focuses on transportation, water, and energy infrastructure, identifying gaps and proposing measures that improve safety, accessibility, and resilience in these areas while promoting gender equality.

Safer Transport Systems to Empower Women During Emergencies

In transportation, the report reveals that women face unique challenges related to mobility, safety, and accessibility issues that are further exacerbated during emergencies. Women often rely on public transport for daily tasks, including caregiving responsibilities, yet they are often overlooked in transportation planning. The report underscores the importance of designing transport systems that prioritize women's safety and meet their mobility needs, especially during disaster scenarios when reliable transport options are crucial. Proposed solutions include subsidies and vouchers for emergency travel, community-based transport networks, and better infrastructure for safe travel, such as well-lit public spaces, panic buttons, and emergency reporting mechanisms. By ensuring safer and more inclusive transportation, these interventions aim to support women’s access to essential services, enable safe evacuation during disasters, and ultimately encourage their economic participation by improving daily and emergency mobility.

Inclusive Water Infrastructure to Protect Health and Dignity

Addressing water and sanitation challenges, the report turns to issues in the water infrastructure sector, where access to safe sanitation facilities is critical but often inadequate for women, particularly in disaster-prone areas. Women and girls are primarily responsible for household water management, caregiving, and hygiene, placing them at risk when these resources are disrupted. The report highlights how a lack of safe, private sanitation facilities not only impacts women’s health but also exposes them to heightened GBV risks in emergency shelters and displacement areas. Recommendations include providing menstrual hygiene products, implementing gender-inclusive sanitation designs, and involving women in decision-making roles within water management programs. For instance, the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project serves as a model by including women as village pump minders and latrine builders post-cyclone. Such initiatives empower women while enhancing community resilience, as women bring unique insights to water distribution and sanitation management that are critical during disasters. By recognizing and supporting women’s roles in water resource management, the report suggests that communities can better maintain water security during crises, reduce health risks, and improve recovery outcomes for women and the entire community.

Empowering Women Through Renewable Energy and Clean Cooking Solutions

Energy infrastructure also requires a gender-sensitive approach, particularly in terms of renewable energy access and clean cooking solutions. Women in disaster-prone regions are more likely to rely on traditional cooking methods, which expose them to harmful pollutants and increase fuel collection burdens, especially when energy supplies are disrupted. Recognizing this issue, the report recommends training programs for women in renewable energy and introducing clean cooking technologies that reduce health risks. Solar energy solutions are particularly promising, as they provide safe, sustainable power in emergencies and offer economic opportunities for women, who are encouraged to take on active roles in solar panel installation and energy project management. Through solar entrepreneurship and clean cooking initiatives, women can contribute to disaster resilience while benefiting economically, promoting a cycle of empowerment and resilience in their communities. Rwanda’s Energy Access and Quality Improvement Project illustrates the impact of these gender-focused energy interventions, where subsidies for improved cookstoves have enhanced community health and resilience while reducing environmental harm. Integrating women’s perspectives in energy planning is essential to address their needs effectively and to build resilient infrastructure that ensures continuous access to energy, especially during crises.

Community Involvement as a Cornerstone of Disaster Resilience

The report stresses that gender inclusivity is fundamental to successful infrastructure planning and is not simply about equality but a vital part of effective disaster risk management. By embedding gender-sensitive measures across transportation, water, and energy, the World Bank and GFDRR aim to reduce vulnerabilities, facilitate recovery, and build resilience in communities facing climate and disaster-related challenges. Community engagement is a key theme throughout, as interventions are more successful when women are directly involved in leadership and planning, given their essential roles in daily family and community resilience. The report concludes that resilient infrastructure is about creating systems that serve all members of a community, with specific support for women, whose needs and contributions are often underappreciated. By fostering equitable access and participation, the World Bank and GFDRR strive to build a future where infrastructure systems actively contribute to gender equality and support inclusive recovery in disaster-prone regions.

Building a Future of Sustainable and Inclusive Infrastructure

The approach outlined in this report sets a foundation for sustainable development that aligns with the dual goals of resilience and gender equity, providing a framework for countries to adopt gender-responsive infrastructure that benefits all, especially in the face of escalating global climate risks. By addressing gender-specific challenges and integrating women’s contributions into infrastructure resilience planning, the World Bank and GFDRR promote a model where sustainable development and gender equality go hand in hand. Through targeted interventions in the transportation, water, and energy sectors, this report calls for a transformative shift in disaster risk management to ensure that infrastructure serves every community member, fostering long-term resilience and inclusive progress.