Women in Times of Crisis: Rethinking the Extraordinary and the Everyday

Columbia University, Sciences Po (Paris), Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University

 Alliance on-line conference,  Friday, October 18, 2024

The 21^st century has been one of crisis – financial crises, rising inequalities within and across countries, the COVID pandemic, escalation of terror attacks and wars, looming climate extinction, perilous shrinking of formal employment, fracturing of the world ‘order’, and the rise of populist right-wing governments. Women have often been especially disadvantaged by these shocks. Researchers and advocates have examined the impacts of these crises on gender relations, and, specifically, on the status of women in relation to the intersectional factors that determine their life chances. The particular crises to which they refer provide a temporal/spatial frame – but the significance of ‘thinking through’ crisis as an episteme is rarely thematized. Turning points that alter pre-existing equilibria and which are located in specific series of events, that we denote as “crises,” are often framing devices whose implications remain unexamined. To analyze the “work crises do,” this project seeks to develop research collaboration, and a potential network, between three Alliance institutions (Columbia, Sciences Po and Paris 1).

Conference Overview[1]

The "Women in Times of Crisis: Rethinking the Extraordinary and the Everyday" conference provided an expansive platform to critically examine the multifaceted impacts of crises on gender dynamics. By exploring themes such as climate change, gender-based violence, labor issues, political polarization, and community resistance, the conference underscored how crises not only exacerbate existing inequalities but also present opportunities for rethinking and reshaping societal norms.

A recurring theme across the sessions and discussions was the reversibility of social progress, particularly in the face of economic and political upheavals. Yet crises were highlighted as both challenges and potential catalysts for change, and the conference communications emphasized the need for proactive, inclusive policies that center on women's experiences and agency. The integration of diverse perspectives—from theoretical analyses to field research and personal reflections—enriched the dialogue, offering valuable insights into the systemic nature of gendered crises and the resilience of women in navigating these challenges.

The final plenary session left participants with a call to action: to leverage existing knowledge and institutions to safeguard gender equality while addressing the structural barriers that perpetuate inequities. The conference reaffirmed the critical role of interdisciplinary research, collaborative action, and policy innovation in fostering more equitable and sustainable societies. As crises continue to evolve, so must strategies for resilience and transformation, ensuring that the lessons learned here serve as a foundation for meaningful progress.

One area not addressed during the conference, compared to the literature review, concerns crises linked to armed conflict. The literature review indicated that while less frequent, these crises lead to dramatic violence against women, including the systematized use of rape as an instrument of war (to break down victims’ personalities and their communities), and as a means of ethnic cleansing.

The long-term traumatic psychological consequences of violence – be it “banal” or extreme – were only briefly touched on during the conference, probably because the conference participants were mainly specialists in economics, politics, sociology and law. In terms of the “work done” by crises, the legacy of such trauma is a major issue which requires further analysis, drawing on knowledge from specialists in psychology (and related disciplines).

The conference was also limited in the presentation of policy recommendations, although one communication set out several toolkits that have been developed to deal with women’s specific concerns during particular types of crises. Similarly, the literature review pointed to guidelines by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for supporting “people” who resort to selling sex in crisis situations.  If there is one general recommendation that follows both from the conference and the literature review, it is the need for policy-makers and actors to take into account the particular needs of women in all types of crises. In the heart of crises, such concerns are often set aside due to what appear to be other more pressing issues. But in doing so, crisis responses generally end up being partial.

ChatGPT 4o search for recent tool-kits and policy guidelines (January, 13 2025)

Prompt: Identify policy documents and tool-kits which have been published during the last decade, and which provide recommendations for dealing specifically with women's concerns arising during all types of crises (economic, political, civil disorder, war, etc.).

ChatGPT 4o: Over the past decade, several policy documents and toolkits have been published to address women's concerns during various crises, including economic downturns, political upheavals, civil disorders, and wars. Notable among these are:

1. UNDP Gender and Recovery Toolkit (2020): This comprehensive toolkit offers guidance on promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in crisis and recovery settings. It comprises seven thematic guidance notes covering areas such as livelihoods, governance, and security, providing concrete entry points for gender-equitable recovery and resilience programming. UNDP
2. CARE's Gender in Emergencies Toolkit: CARE has developed a series of guidance notes and tools to integrate gender considerations into emergency response. This includes the Rapid Gender Analysis framework, which assists in understanding the different needs and capacities of women, men, boys, and girls in crises. CARE Toolkit
3. Toolkit on the Rights of Women and Girls to Peaceful Assembly and Association (2020): Developed by the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), this toolkit transforms recommendations into action strategies to support women-led movements and organizations, especially in times of crisis. ICNL
4. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action (2020): These guidelines provide practical tools for humanitarians and affected communities to coordinate, plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate actions for the prevention and mitigation of gender-based violence across all stages of disaster and emergency management. UNW WRD Knowledge Hub
5. Women and Girls Safe Spaces: A Toolkit for Advancing Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment in Humanitarian Settings (2019): This toolkit offers guidance on establishing safe spaces for women and girls in humanitarian contexts, aiming to provide a conducive environment for their empowerment and protection. ReliefWeb
6. Peer-to-Peer Psychosocial Support Groups for Women Guide (Women Rise Toolkit) (2023): Developed by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), this resource provides a framework for gender-based violence-centered psychosocial support, offering best practices for implementing such programs in crisis settings. The IRC

These resources serve as valuable tools for policymakers, practitioners, and organizations striving to address and integrate women's specific needs and leadership roles in crisis situations.