femLINKPACIFIC·Tuesday, February 23, 2016

By Sharon Bhagwan Rolls and Sian Rolls

Since the beginning of January, our Women’s Weather Watch campaign has been ongoing – documenting preparations, experiences and action taken at the local level since TC Ula came to our shores.

Humanitarian Emergency Responses must ensure Women’s Leadership:https://www.facebook.com/notes/femlinkpacific/www-humanitarian-emergency-responses-must-ensure-womens-leadership/10153864550539295

January 2nd Updates:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/femlinkpacific/www-january-2nd-2016-updates/10153866750214295

January 8th Updates:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/femlinkpacific/www-january-8th-2016-updates/10153880007994295

TC Ula Reflections:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/femlinkpacific/femtalk-tc-ula-reflections/10153935206334295

February 11th Updates:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/femlinkpacific/www-february-11th-2016/10153955813094295

We particularly engaged women in our rural networks to provide updates since the 19th of February as Severe TC Winston battered the country.

Our Women’s Weather Watch reports from the 19th of February:

https://www.femlinkpacific.org.fj/index.php/en/actions/archive/426-women-s-weather-watch-updates-tc-winston

Women in the North, West and Central divisions kept us posted as the wind picked up and rain started to fall in their respective communities as well as share concerns and arising issues in the aftermath of TC Winston.

Some such issues include the onset effects of a lack of water, electricity and communications as well as concerns about food and economic security as livelihoods and backyard gardens were damaged by the wind, rain and, for some, the oceans’ storm surges onto the land.

Women also shared the fear and worry as one of the biggest weather events to occur in the Southern Hemisphere rattled homes, ripped off roofs and uprooted trees.

“She said the women’s weather watch updates helped in preparation for what was one of the scariest hurricanes I have comes across. Her son lives alone in Wailoaloa and lost the roof to the house. He wanted to runaway but (Yasmin) convinced him to get inside the cupboard which is where he stayed all night.” Losana Derenalagi, a convener for FemLINKPACIFIC in the West, relaying reflections of Yasmin Khan of Malamala in Nadi.

“For now, women’s priority is mainly on food security, focusing on the family, it will take for a while for them to recover in terms of loss and damage to farms which most of them depend on as their sources of income and food. For those whose homes have been damages most are unemployed so assistance should focus on what they need to rebuild their homes, clothes, household items, children’s education items, farms, livestock – all destroyed.” Fane Boseiwaqa, Tavua convener/correspondent.

“In the North this morning, we were met with sunshine. The electricity was reconnected around 4pm yesterday (21 February) and fortunately has remained on until now. However, this is only around the town area and nearby residential areas like Naodamu. Other nearby communities like Vunimoli, Tuatua, Vunicuicui, Naleba, Bulileka and Wailevu are still without electricity – a small shop owner in Wailevu said that they had to throw away some shop frozen goods because of the lack of electricity. The water was also disconnected yesterday, but we have water today – although it is dirty out of the taps. We are still unable to connect to rural network or villages like Tawake, Lagi and Rabi as the mobile network is still down – even here in Labasa, the network is unstable.” Adi Vasu, Labasa.

“In my community no houses were damaged but the uto supply for 3 months damaged as well as pawpaw, lemon and guava. The community plantation has flooded by the Ului Cuku creek. So the root crops damaged.” Nanise Cakau, of Nausori Village.

At this stage FemTALK 89FM Suva has sustained some damage but our Labasa station is on air and we have been very active with our media network to produce media reports and updates – with other media houses, such as RNZI and Islands Business, collaborating with us to boost the voice of women in times of disaster.

We will also be working to produce content to compliment humanitarian action – already UNICEF has committed to providing content.

At the same time, we are working to see how we can boost communication and documentation via our network of convenors and correspondent and content production and currently organising a collaboration with Action Aid to build on each of our work in such situations with a focus on Women’s rights and participation as well as protection.

As we continue to provide updates from rural centres we are also working to strengthen and amplify the importance of community radio in all stages of disaster risk reduction, management and humanitarian assistance in particular to ensure women of all diversities are heard when they remain under represented in decision making.

Recovery and rehabilitation will be long term and so we also hope to convene suitcase radio broadcasts with women in affected communities in the coming months as well as collaborate with AMARC Asia Pacific to convene a regional symposium on the role of community radio in the humanitarian action and climate change linked to the outcomes of the World Humanitarian Summit.

FemLINKPACIFIC’s Women’s Weather Watch is a model for monitoring approaching storms and disaster management in their communities, providing real-time information with a local touch and a constant campaign of FemLINKPACIFIC’s – constantly shining light on the continually overlooked area of the involvement and consultation of women before, during and after natural disasters.

Started in 2009, following Cyclone Mick that hit Fiji, it was noted that women were not being included in the planning and coordination of relief efforts following the damaging winds, rain and flooding. However, women were selfless nevertheless; they are often the last to leave the home following everyone else after they have prepared the house and taken what they may need or what they have on the way to evacuation centres.

Part of the Women’s Weather Watch is the engagement of our community media network, acting as go-betweens between the communities on the ground and those who need to hear the reality the communities experience.

Additionally, FemLINKPACIFIC continues to campaign for the inclusion of women in all aspects of disaster preparation, management and rehabilitation which requires equal participation of women. Humanitarian assistance must also be organised in line with UNSCR1325 to ensure environment security at all times.

The Women’s Weather Watch campaign also demonstrates the vital role that community media, in particular community radio plays to ensure information on weather patterns and forecasts are reaching communities away from main centres and because the women are often responsible for the management of their families, evacuation strategies must be gender inclusive, particularly to ensure the safety and protection of women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly.