Thank you to everyone who joined us for our panel discussion 'From Risk to Resilience: Women Shaping Security Responses'!

Our speakers brought together their expertise from international development, the Dutch Ministry of Defense, and technical research on disaster resilience. One message stood out: whose voices are heard, matters.

When women’s voices are raised and represented, disaster preparedness and response can be more effective, better reflecting the needs of the community as a whole and not just the traditionally dominant voices at the table. A gendered approach to security should thus be intersectional and inclusive, contextualised to meet needs on the ground while recognising the social tissues already in place.

It not only matters whose stories we tell, but also how we tell them, and to whom. It's easy to fall into the trap of inadvertently reinforcing gendered stereotypes and roles when discussing resilience. Gender-sensitive response and relief efforts must be reflective of reality. And for that - we need each other. We gain the most when we give, be it in research, policy, or advocacy.
 

We're grateful for the opportunity to have collaborated with CARE Nederland, the Ministerie van Defensie, and TU Delft Safety & Security Institute on this topic!