How Gender-Sensitive Disaster Management is Addressed in the Turkish Parliament: A Qualitative Study from Feminist Bioethics Perspective.

Abstract

Background: The devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023, caused significant destruction and loss of life, to the extent that they have been termed the "Disaster of the Century." Although women are disproportionately affected by disasters, they have historically been overlooked in disaster management. However, with the increased awareness brought about by the feminist movement regarding secondary inequalities arising from structural disparities such as gender roles and economic dependency, the concept of "gender-sensitive disaster management" has gained prominence. The primary aim of our study is to evaluate how gender-sensitive disaster management is addressed in the Turkish parliament. Its secondary aim is to contribute to the scope of feminist bioethics. Thirdly, the study is expected to contribute to the ethics and policies of disaster management in Türkiye, a country prone to earthquakes, with a focus on the rights of women and vulnerable groups.

Methods: In the study, the transcripts of parliamentary sessions held between February 6, 2023, and April 23, 2023, as published on the official website of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT), were analyzed using qualitative research methods. The research data consists of discourses extracted from a total of 29 transcripts, covering the first session following the earthquake (February 7, 2023) and the final session of the legislative year (April 23, 2023). The data were systematically retrieved using the keywords "earthquake," "disaster," "gender," "women," and "health." The data were coded in Excel by assigning serial numbers to the documents, and the names of the speakers were anonymized to avoid potential biases that might arise while interpreting political materials. In this study, the source data consist of publicly available documents shared on the official website, specifically the Parliamentary Record Journal prepared by the GNAT Transcripts Services Department. These documents include verbatim quotations expressed by speakers and read by clerks, all accurately written and marked in quotation marks. As the study relies on publicly accessible sources without human participants, obtaining Ethics Committee approval is not required in our country.

Results: The recurring statements of members of parliament within the context of "disaster and gender" were categorized under common themes. Accordingly, the main themes identified were "Access to Humanitarian Aid," "Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination," and "Vulnerability." Within this framework, members of parliament expressed views on topics such as the "Right to Life," "Right to Shelter," and "Right to Health" (including hygiene, sexual and reproductive health, and access to food and water). Additionally, views were expressed on sub-themes such as "Traditional Gender Norms," "Equality in Care Work," "Participation," "Struggle and Solidarity," "Privacy and Security" (including physical, psychological, economic, and sexual violence), "Intersectionality" (disability, LGBTQ+, refugee rights), "Advocacy," and "Responsibility and Accountability."

Conclusions: Gender-sensitive disaster management has revealed its multidimensional impacts on the lives of women and vulnerable groups, emphasizing the importance of feminist ethical obligations in this context. Comprehensive policies are necessary at every stage of disaster management to ensure the consideration of equality.