The Role of Gender in Preparedness and Response Behaviors towards Flood Risk in Serbia
Open Access
- 6 December 2018
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Vol. 15 (12), 2761
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122761
Abstract
Adverse outcomes from 2014 flooding in Serbia indicated problematic response phase management accentuated by a gender imbalance. For this reason, we investigated the risk perceptions and preparedness of women and men regarding these types of events in Serbia. Face-to-face interviews, administered to 2500 participants, were conducted across 19 of 191 municipalities. In light of the current findings, men seemed to be more confident in their abilities to cope with flooding, perceiving greater individual and household preparedness. By contrast, women displayed a deeper understanding of these events. Perhaps owing to a deeper level of understanding, women demonstrated more household-caring attitudes and behaviors and were more prone to report a willingness to help flood victims at reception centers. Emergency management agencies and land planners should account for these differences in gender awareness and preparedness. Based on these findings, doing so may increase citizen participation and shared responsibility under flood hazard scenarios.Keywords
Funding Information
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (740750)
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