Examining cascading disasters and cascading effects through a gender lens

"Cascading disaster" as an analytical tool has been increasingly used in both disaster and conflict research. Cascading disaster is understood as one extreme event triggering further (secondary) events, which could potentially lead to amplifying effects. The subsequent disasters are associated with 'pre-disaster' vulnerabilities, such as the failure of existing physical structures and existing social inequalities. Although studying disaster with this tool emphasises the notion that disaster is not natural (but socially constructed), the current understanding of "cascading disaster" could be improved by drawing on lessons from gender and disaster work. First, "cascading disaster" tends to emphasise certain types of disasters as the starting point, namely acute events, while long-term, chronic, disastrous situations such as social, governance, and institutional disasters are not fully considered within its framework as initiators. A gender lens from disaster and conflict research supports the framing of disasters as being caused by long-term vulnerability processes such as inequity and injustice. Second, it is understood only in a negative sense, in that each step in a cascade is assumed to be detrimental, rather than recognising how a disaster's cascades might lead to positive impacts. Gender and disaster, plus gender and conflict, work has demonstrated the leadership which marginalised women often take in the wake of a disaster, supporting their communities and increasing gender-equitable opportunities. Third, gender-related work for disaster and conflict illustrates the deeply embedded connections amongst dealing with multiple challenges, such as environmental changes including natural hazards and climate change, violent and non-violent conflicts, and governance systems supporting various violence and vulnerability forms. Thus, disasters and conflicts typically have multiple, simultaneous starting points leading to a long-term process which becomes evident only when dramatic effects are witnessed, especially manifesting in differential impacts such as between men, women and sexual minorities. Ultimately, examining "cascading disaster" and "cascading effects" through a gender lens demonstrates the importance and advantages of putting people at the centre of disaster-related work.