WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITIES ACT AS DISASTER MANAGERS: AN EVIDENCE BASED STUDY IN SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PURI DISTRICT, ODISHA, INDIA

Finding women in the families and in the communities as managers in disaster risk reduction with the enhanced capacities and potentialities is the objective of this study. No doubt women have been considered as one of the most vulnerable stakeholders due to the social structure, culture and age old practices. Despite of their limitations and obstacles, women with their inner potentialities, experiences and acquired capacities contributed and participated wholeheartedly lessening vulnerabilities and risk in and through their participation in prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, rehabilitation and recovery activities. Women have proved themselves as disaster manager not only in their families but also in their communities in and through rescue operation and evacuation to their own children, elders and other dear ones and feed the family members and relatives and neighbors affected by the disasters. The study was carried out with the mixed methods of data collection like semi structured questionnaire for household survey, personal interview and interaction and focused group discussions. Instead of looking women as mere vulnerable stakeholders in the society, must include and involve them in planning, decision making and implementation of disaster cycle management as the innumerable studies have not only found out their weakness but their strength and power to reduce risk and vulnerabilities in risk and crisis management. The major finding and recommendation of women's strength and opportunities will help the policy makers, planners and readers allow women to involve in the process of disaster cyclone management as men and other professional