Increase your capacity to identify, respond to and prevent the harmful impacts of gendered expectations in disaster.

Women, men and LGBTIQA+ people experience disaster differently. Often it is men who are expected to protect and provide, even when it’s not possible. Women are expected to nurture and care for others, sometimes at the expense of their own safety and wellbeing, and LGBTIQA+ people’s needs are rarely considered.

Climate-related disasters and emergencies are becoming increasingly intense and frequent. It is more critical than ever to understand the impact of gendered expectations in disasters. Now is the time to act, because disaster is no excuse for family violence.

Gender and Disaster’s Lessons in Disaster training aims to increase participants’ understanding of how gender expectations and pressure to conform to rigid, binary gender stereotypes affect all aspects of disaster preparation, response, and recovery. The training unpacks how increasing gender-inequality during and after disaster impacts women, men, LGBTIQA+ people and other minority groups including increased violence against women, reduced mental health for men and women, and reduced service access for LGBTIQA+ people.   

• 1-day training
• Available online or in-person across any state or territory in Australia (where safe to do so)
• Suited to emergency services, local council, health teams, front line service staff, volunteers and senior managers.
• Free of charge. Lessons in Disaster Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

There are two different options to register:

1. Book online for our upcoming sessions. Session are available in-person at a range of national locations and online sessions are held throughout the year. 

2. To discuss private/bespoke Lessons in Disaster training for your organisation, please use our online enquiry form or contact our Business Development Manager: Melesa Osborne: m.osborne@gadaustralia.com.au

Across every state and territory in Australia, we deliver online and in-person training to disaster responders, emergency management providers, health and community services, disaster-prone communities, and a range of other groups. Our training is based on lived experiences of disasters and grounded in extensive qualitative research.  

Gender and Disaster Australia updates its evidence base, relying on new and emerging Australian and international research on the gendered impacts of disasters and the lack of a gender-diverse approach to disaster planning, response and recovery. In updating its research, policy and training Gender and Disaster Australia has included research findings from a range of disasters, including bushfires, floods, earthquakes and tsunamis. 

To date, we have trained over 2200 participants from the emergency services sector, local government, health, disaster response agencies, and communities to challenge rigid gender stereotypes and improve disaster management and survival.  

Gender and Australia's Lessons in Disaster Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.