Discovering the differential and gendered consequences of natural disasters on the gender gap in life expectancy in Southeast Asia

Abstract. Generally, the country and the population at risk experience the consequences of natural disasters differently and disproportionately. Likewise, the negative impacts of the natural disaster on the population are not gender-neutral. This article explores the relationship of the negative consequences of natural disasters on the difference of gender gap in life expectancy in Southeast Asia. Using the regional data set over the period 1995 to 2011, we analyzed the influence of the natural disaster magnitude, i.e. number of disaster-related casualties, and the interaction with women's socioeconomic and political rights, and the country’s vulnerability and exposure to climate change impacts on the gender gap in life expectancy, i.e. ratio of female to male life expectancy. The study produced three important findings. First, Southeast Asian women's life expectancy is more likely to decrease on average compared to that of men as the magnitude of natural disaster increases. Second, lower women's socioeconomic and political conditions are associated with the gender difference in life expectancy as the magnitude of natural disaster increases. Lastly, country's higher level of exposure and vulnerability to climate change impacts are associated with the negative influence of natural disasters on the women's life expectancy more than that of men. Taken together, our study concluded that lower women's socioeconomic and political conditions, as well as country's higher climate change-related vulnerabilities, are likely to pose a collective threat to women's overall well-being more than that of men.