Gendered Narratives: Viewing Disasters from a Cultural-Religious Lens

Abstract

Pakistan, as an environmentally vulnerable country, has experienced many natural catastrophes over the last two decades, resulting in significant human, socioeconomic, infrastructural, and agricultural losses. These events have had diverse impacts on people based on class, gender, geography, and cultural diversity leading to varied perceptions influenced by their intersectionality. This study explores the prevailing cultural-religious interpretations regarding the causes of disasters within the local community of Upper Dir, one of the main vulnerable districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. Qualitative research methods were used to conduct interviews with the local community, ensuring gender balance among respondents to capture their diverse views. The study’s major findings reveal that causes of disasters are interpreted through religious and cultural narratives, attributing deviation from these normative structures as responsible for their occurrence. Notably, these narratives are gendered as women’s actions and their departure from traditional feminine traits and roles are considered the primary reasons for ‘divine retribution’ manifesting as disasters. In communities strongly shaped by cultural and religious beliefs, enhancing public awareness is critical for ensuring that disaster preparedness strategies resonate with local values and practices, ultimately helping to reduce the adverse impacts of disasters.

JEL Classification Codes: Q54