The socio-economic consequences of the earthquakes in the Dominican Republic (2003), Honduras (2007 and 2009) and Haiti (2010) on gender relations: urban vs. rural areas

Abstract

Socioenvironmental disasters are extraordinary occurrences which produce serious consequences for the impacted population. This impact is not immune to gender effects, as various studies has shown that after such a disaster there is an increase in economic inequality and the social vulnerability of women. Through the research reported in this article we have explored this issue in more detail, analysing the effects that the earthquakes that hit the Dominican Republic (2003), Honduras (2007 and 2009) and Haiti (2010) had on gender relations, making comparisons between urban and rural areas. To examine the impact of these disasters, the data source employed was the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) developed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Using the Differences in Differences technique (DID), our results reveal that, although the whole population was affected by the disaster, the impact was more intense in households headed by a woman, especially those in rural areas.