Disasters that afflicted Indonesia in the past twenty years have caused many fatalities and damaged infrastructures that led to economic losses. According to Sri Hartini, S.Kep., Ns., M.Kes., Ph.D, the position of Indonesia in the Pacific Ring of Fire made the country face disaster risks. So, disaster mitigation management became the main activity to do.
“Activities that need to be done include prevention, mitigation, preparedness, early warning, emergency response, emergency relief, restoration, rehabilitation and reconstruction. These are all done before, during, and after the disaster,” said Sri Hartini in UC UGM on Thursday (21/12) during the 13th International Seminar on Disaster: Gender-Inclusive Disaster Risk Management.
In this condition, said Sri Hartini, nurses stand in the front guard of service institutions. Nurse services in clinic or community are very important before, during, and after the disaster.
Hence, the 13th International Seminar on Disaster: Gender-Inclusive Disaster Risk Management that was organised by Nursing Program Faculty of Medicine UGM and Kobe University, Japan was very important , because both Indonesia and Japan have similarities as countries that are prone to disaster, particularly earthquake.
“The theme has been raised by taking into account that disaster impact caused by natural factor is not gender neutral,” she said. Sri Hartini hoped the seminar would serve as the forum for sharing during mitigation, handling, and rehabilitation of disaster, facilitate cognitive and psychomotor competence of the nurse for disaster mitigation management.
One of the speakers of the seminar, Prof. Satoshi Takada, said there had been a change in Japan in terms of women’s role from private to public areas. Many have occupied jobs which later affected the family and community.
“The role of women in disaster has not much been studied. Due to women’s role to care for children and senior citizens, they can also give contributions to disaster risk management,” he said.
Satoshi Takada said the role of women during disaster also differs from that of men. Satoshi said women can be agent of vulnerabilities of senior citizens and children. They can propose to change disaster risk mitigation and enhance community resilience.
“Women can do community empowerment in disaster due to their skills and capacities learned in their households. Thus, women have to be engaged in disaster risk management,” he said.