Female Gender Empowerment, Individualism, Collectivism, and Resilience: A Comparative Study in the Context of Disaster Risk Management

Authors

  • Torkuma Matthew Garba Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Makurdi Command, Benue State Author
  • Ikenna Amuka Institute of Maritime Studies University of Nigeria Enugu Campus Author
  • Richard Akaan Department of Political Science, University of Mkar, Mkar, Benue State, Nigeria Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2025.7.1.18

Keywords:

gender empowerment, individualism, collectivism, disaster resilience, risk management

Abstract

The paper examines the relationship between female gender empowerment, societal ideologies (individualism and collectivism), and disaster resilience. It examines whether higher female empowerment is correlated with greater individualism and whether male empowerment aligns with collectivist values. Additionally, it evaluates how these ideological orientations influence societal resilience in disaster contexts. Utilising data from the Global Gender Gap Report, Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, and the UNDRR Resilience Index, this study employs Pearson’s correlation analysis to determine relationships between gender empowerment and ideology. At the same time, multiple regression modelling assesses their impact on disaster resilience. Findings reveal a strong correlation between female empowerment and individualism, as well as between male empowerment and collectivism. Regression results indicate that individualism has a negative influence on resilience, while collectivism enhances resilience. These results suggest that collectivist societies, often characterised as male-dominated, may provide stronger structural support for disaster risk management, whereas individualistic societies linked to female empowerment may face challenges in coordinating disaster responses. The findings underscore the need for policies that integrate both individualistic and collectivist strengths to enhance global disaster response and sustainable development.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Aleksandrina, M., Budiarti, D., Yu, Z., Pasha, F., & Shaw, R. (2019). Government incentivisation for SME's engagement in disaster risk management. International Journal of Disaster Management and Environmental Security Studies, 1(1), 32-50

2. Asgari, M., Ashtarian, H., Heidari, S., &Khezeli, M. (2018). Individualism-collectivism, social support, resilience, and suicidal ideation among women with the experience of the death of a young person. International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery, 6(2), 250–259.

3. Cutter, S. L., Boruff, B. J., & Shirley, W. L. (2003). Social vulnerability to environmental hazards. Social Science Quarterly, 84(2), 242–261.

4. Cvetković, V. M., & Šišović, V. (2024). Understanding the sustainable development of community (social) disaster resilience in Serbia: Demographic and socio-economic impacts. Sustainability, 16(7), 2620

5. Cvetkovic, V., & Martinović, J. (2020). Innovative solutions for flood risk management. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 2(2), 71-100.

6. Cvetković, V., & Planić, J. (2022). Earthquake risk perception in Belgrade: implications for disaster risk management. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 4(1), 69-88.

7. Davis, I., & Alexander, D. (2016). Recovery from disaster. Routledge.

8. Enarson, E., & Morrow, B. H. (Eds.). (1998). The gendered terrain of disaster: Through women's eyes.Praeger Publishers.

9. Fordham, M. (2011). Gender, sexuality, and disaster. In B. Wisner, J. C. Gaillard, & I. Kelman (Eds.), Handbook of hazards and disaster risk reduction (pp. 424–435). Routledge.

10. Goyal, N. (2019). Disaster governance and community resilience: The law and the role of SDMAs. International Journal of Disaster Management and Environmental Security Studies, 1(2), 61-75

11. Gurung, J. D. (1999). Searching for women's voices in the Hindu-Kush Himalayas. Gender, Technology and Development, 3(1), 63–80.

12. Hasan, M. K., & Niger Sultana. (2024). Dynamics of Internal Migration in the Southwest Region of Bangladesh. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 6(1), 13–26.

13. Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's consequences: Comparing values, behaviours, institutions, and organizations across nations (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

14. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (2010). A practical guide to gender-sensitive approaches for disaster management. Retrieved from https://www.preventiveweb.net

15. Jaiye, D.J. & Benjamin, O. (2021). Building resilience through local and international partnerships: Nigeria experiences. International Journal of Disaster Management and Environmental Security Studies, 3(2), 11-24

16. Jenkins, P., & Phillips, B. (2008). Battered women, catastrophe, and the context of safety after Hurricane Katrina. NWSA Journal, 20(3), 49–68.

17. Kabir, M.H. Hossain, T. & Haque, M.W. (2022). Resilience to natural disasters: A case study on Southwestern region of coastal Bangladesh. International Journal of Disaster Management and Environmental Security Studies, 4(2), 91-105

18. Khan, S. (2016). Gender-responsive disaster management: A pathway to sustainable development. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 18, 82–88.

19. Lee, H., & Kim, A. (2020). Female gender empowerment and cultural ideologies: A comparative study of Eastern and Western societies. International Journal of Sociology, 18(2), 77–91.

20. Mileti, D. S. (1999). Disasters by design: A reassessment of natural hazards in the United States. Joseph Henry Press.

21. Molnár, A. (2024). A Systematic Collaboration of Volunteer and Professional Fire Units in Hungary. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 6(1), 1–13.

22. Morrow, B. H., &Enarson, E. (1996). Hurricane Andrew through women's eyes: Issues and recommendations. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, 14(1), 5–22.

23. Norris, F. H., Stevens, S. P., Pfefferbaum, B., Wyche, K. F., &Pfefferbaum, R. L. (2008). Community resilience as a metaphor, theory, set of capacities, and strategy for disaster readiness. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(1–2), 127–150.

24. Oxfam International. (2005). The tsunami's impact on women. Retrieved from https://policy-practice.oxfam.org

25. Pelling, M. (2003). The vulnerability of cities: Natural disasters and social resilience. Earthscan.

26. Smith, J. (2022). Female gender empowerment and societal development. Journal of Social Science, 44(1), 53–67.

27. UN Women. (2021). Gender dimensions of disaster risk and resilience: Existing evidence. Retrieved from https://wrd.unwomen.org

28. United Nations Development Programme. (2010). Gender, climate change, and community-based adaptation. Retrieved from https://www.undf.org

29. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. (2021). Resilience index. Retrieved from https://www.undrr.org/publication/undrr-annual-report-2021

30. Wisner, B., Blaikie, P., Cannon, T., & Davis, I. (2004). At risk: Natural hazards, people's vulnerability, and disasters (2nd ed.). Routledge.

31. World Economic Forum (2023). Global gender gap report. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM)

Downloads

Published

2025-06-16

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2025): International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Disaster Risk Management

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This journal operates under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction, adaptation, and transformation in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly credited.

Authors retain the copyright of their articles.

The International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM) encourages and permits authors to:

  • Post pre-print (submitted version), post-print (accepted version), and publisher’s version/PDF of their articles on personal websites, institutional repositories, disciplinary repositories, and academic networks such as ResearchGate, Academia.edu, or departmental websites,

  • Do so at any time, including before or after publication,

  • Provided that appropriate credit is given to the original publication in this journal, including:

    • Full bibliographic details

    • A clear mention of the journal name

    • A direct link to the article’s DOI (as an HTML link)

No prior permission is required from the publisher or editors for such actions, as long as the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license are followed.

How to Cite

Garba, T. M., Amuka, I., & Akaan, R. (2025). Female Gender Empowerment, Individualism, Collectivism, and Resilience: A Comparative Study in the Context of Disaster Risk Management. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 7(1), 313-324. https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2025.7.1.18

Similar Articles

71-80 of 149

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.