Women in faith-based disaster response to the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake

Although Japan is known for its highly specialized and capable emergency management systems, when Kumamoto was hit by two strong earthquakes in April 2016, the official emergency and disaster management response was inadequate. In this context, women of Kumamoto were not only exposed to contextual vulnerability deriving from inadequate earthquake-response preparedness but also to their gender-based social vulnerability. Drawing upon 22 semi-structured interviews with women affiliated with Sōka Gakkai and GLA (God Light Association), this study explores the relationship between gender and religiosity in order to assess the level of preparation and responsiveness of women belonging to religious organizations. Results show that the persistent gender-blind institutional post-seismic intervention measures intensify women’s vulnerability, while women affiliated with religious organizations capitalize on their situated knowledge and skills for resilience building. Such findings highlight the need to develop more inclusive models of disaster management to harness the resilience that exists within communities.