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In implementing the project “Orienting, changing and creating jobs for women in the age group of 35-55 in resettlement areas in Da Nang city”, Da Nang Women’s Union organized surveys on
the current situation and job needs of women in the age group of 35-55 in resettlement areas in the city a sample of 815 women. The results are: i 88.8 women have needs for consultation
and job orientation; ii 62.9 have needs for loans; iii 52.6 have needs for job introduction and iv 18.6 have needs for vocational training
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. According to this survey, almost 90 women have needs for consultations and job orientation.
Those women that we interviewed in this HVA shared that they do not know what to switch their jobs to. Some wished to get loans but they did not know what trade to spend that money on and
whether it would bring income. This reality reflects the urgent needs for job orientation and consultation for both men and especially women based on categorizing groups of women and
understanding their capabilities and needs.
6.3 Working time and family burden increasing on women
Natural disasters have impacts on both women and men, increasing the time they spend in the families before, during and after the disaster. However, discussions with the poor group show
that the traditional gender role has increased the burden on women. Restoring life after disasters, especially cleaning houses, washing clothes, removing mud…as well as community
activities such as cleaning for sanitation is done by women. They also take the main responsibility for other tasks such as taking care of families, preparing meals and caring for
children’s schooling Table 1.
Due to the short time for discussing, the mix group did not specify the number of hours that men and women spend in case of disasters. However, the qualitative data below may partly shows
that the work burden has increased considerably for both men and women. Some people say that women have to spend 3-5 hoursday o housework, depending on the situation of their
families having small children, working in agriculture, living on fishing…. When disasters happen, they have to spend up to 8-10 hoursday, or even more.
Table 1. Gender-based labour division, during and after disasters
Tasks Women Men
1.Before disasters
Preparing meals and drinking water Evacuate children and old people
Packing to bring to roof of the house Get candles and oil for cooking
Help husbands strengthen houses Feeling more intense and stressful
Strengthening houses Building embankment to stoop
floods in areas close to the sea Evacuate people to safety
2. During the disaster
Keeping the house and the children Preparing meals for families
Feeling more intense and stressful Participating in helping others
Ready to evacuate people when needed
Keeping ships and fishing baskets at sea
Participating in helping others
3. After disaster Cleaning the house
Removing mud Cleaning clothes and mosquito nets
Restoring the family Taking care of meals for the family
Taking care of children’s schooling Participating in cleaning the
community area Help husband to fixing the house
Fixing the house Removing fallen tress
Cleaning the house
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Da Nang Women’s Union 2009: Report of the survey on the current situation and job needs of women in the age group 35-55 in resettlement areas in Da Nang city
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Discussion with the mix group of poor people in Hoa Hiep Bac ward
6.4 Single women, poor women-headed houses are the most vulnerable groups in the all the poor
