The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged as a real threat to humans, drastically disrupting everyday life in 2020–21. Although the pandemic affected people from all walks of life, irrespective of age or gender, the way the risk is perceived varies from one person to another. The pandemic risk reduction strategies can only be effective if individuals and communities respond positively to them, and for that, it is important to understand how the risk is perceived and responded to, differently by different groups of people. Gender plays a vital role in shaping risk perceptions and coping strategies, reflecting the predisposition of the public to accept health interventions and take precautionary measures. This study aims to understand the gender differences in COVID-19 risk perception and coping mechanisms – Pakistan is selected as a case study area. Following on from designing the questionnaire, which included 40 indicators grouped into domains (four risk perception and three coping mechanisms domains), an online survey was conducted, and a sample of 389 respondents was collected (248 male and 141 female). An index-based approach was used to quantify risk perception and its domains (fear, behaviour, awareness, and trust), and likewise coping mechanisms and their domains (problem, emotion, and action). Statistical tests were employed to ascertain the differences among both genders, whereas regression modelling was used to measure the effect of gender on overall risk perception and coping mechanisms. Results reveal that perceived fear and trust varied significantly between Pakistani men and women, while coping mechanisms were also notably different between the two genders. Females were found to perceive risks higher, complied more with the government's guidelines, and coped better than males in response to COVID-19. These findings imply that the gender aspect must be incorporated in designing effective communication and risk reduction strategies to efficiently address the current and potential future pandemic situations.
Lahore is the second largest metropolitan in Pakistan, and the capital city of Punjab province. The city hosts various historical monuments, buildings and gardens. Once a walled city during the Mughal era (1524-1752) and British colonial rule, the city has grown as a hub of commerce and trade in the region. The built-up area almost doubled during 1999-2011 and is expected to grow at a similar or even higher rate, hence increasing pressure on the city administration in terms of managing infrastructure and squatter settlements. Challenges such as lack of integrated urban development policies, unchecked urban growth, overlapping jurisdictions of land governing authorities and ineffective building control further aggravate the situation. Despite the recent positive developments like provision of improved commuting facilities through Metro and Orange Line transport systems, and restoration of walled city, Lahore still necessitates dynamic and structured institutions with technical, legal and regulatory support for managing the ever increasing population. Planners need to develop feasible, realistic and practical urban development plans, and ensure an integrated infrastructural and socioeconomic development in the city. Additionally, utilizing the underexploited potentials such as tourism and knowledge-driven businesses can help boost the economy and transform Lahore into a modern city.
Urban flooding has become a regular phenomenon in many towns and cities in the Asia Pacific region over the past years. Professionals associated with disaster management and climate change are at the forefront of addressing urban flooding. To reduce flood risks, vulnerability and its components must be understood. Vulnerability assessment methods are diverse and complex, with a varied nature of understanding the key terms used in various contexts, and this diversity ultimately reflects on the interpretation of results in research settings. Diverse interpretations and definitions exist in the disaster risk and climate change literature, complicating the process of astute and comprehensive vulnerability assessment. The main purpose of this study was to quantify vulnerability indicators and develop a multidimensional model for vulnerability assessment. Vulnerability is explored through the lens of five dimensions: social, economic, physical/infrastructural, institutional, and attitudinal. This methodology is applied to urban flooding in Pakistan, to verify the proposed model. Three study sites in urban areas with different population sizes, situated in high-risk flood zones in the Punjab Province of Pakistan were selected for empirical investigation. A household survey was conducted, and indices were developed for each dimension based on welldefined indicators. The proposed methodology for vulnerability assessment was tested and found operational. This method can be replicated irrespective of spatial scales and can be modified for other disasters by streamlining hazard specific indicators.
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