Activity: Starting conversations about gender and emergencies

GIAs in emergency management: Factsheet series

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This factsheet helps duty holders working in emergency management start conversations about gender and inclusion in emergency management (EM). This factsheet supports the Commission’s GIA toolkit and provides practical scenarios to help build understanding of gender in EM.

It is designed for use across different organisations, including local government, government departments, and agencies involved in EM.

Use these scenarios as an entry point for building awareness in GIA discussions with colleagues. A range of scenarios show some common challenges and include prompts, examples and tips to support safe and constructive conversations.

These scenarios are a starting point. You are not expected to have all the answers or manage complex situations on your own. Use them to support discussion and identify where further guidance may be needed.

You can download a copy of this factsheet at the bottom of this page.

Making the most of this activity

Building the skills and confidence to have open and respectful discussions about gender supports better outcomes in EM.

These scenarios reflect common challenges in addressing gender equality within EM.

Allow 30 minutes per activity, depending on group size and the number of scenarios you choose.

  1. Form pairs or small groups. Choose a scenario to discuss.
  2. Assess the situation. Identify what might be happening and why.
  3. Propose solutions: Develop two possible responses, then share your ideas with the main group.

We encourage you to brainstorm responses to each scenario. They include prompts and potential responses.

Scenario 1: Having a conversation about family violence

Scenario:

You are working at an emergency relief setting during a flood. A woman and her toddler arrive. As you greet them, the woman mentions that her husband will join them soon, but she wants to get set up before he arrives. She says he is ‘really stressed’, ‘in a mood’, and ‘gets annoyed easily,’ so she wants to have everything perfect.

Staff working in emergency relief settings are not expected to act as specialists but can play a role in responding safely and linking people to support services.

Instructions:

  • Unpack the scenario (10 minutes): Discuss what might be happening and why. Come up with two possible responses.
  • Report back (10 minutes): As a group, share a summary of your scenario and the responses.

Prompts for unpacking the scenario:

  • Feeling anxious to please or fearful of a partner’s reactions may be a sign of family violence.
  • Family violence – also known as domestic violence or abuse – is behaviour towards a family member that is:
    • physically, sexually, emotionally, financially or spiritually abusive
    • threatening, controlling, or in any way dominating the family member
    • causes them to fear for their safety or wellbeing, or that of another person.
  • Family violence can affect people of all genders, ages, abilities, sexual orientations, and social, cultural, and religious backgrounds.

Prompts for responding:

  • Could you take the woman and her child to a private or quieter space?
  • How could you ask open-ended questions and use non-judgmental language to build trust? For example:
    • ‘You mentioned your husband gets easily annoyed. Can you tell me more about that?’
    • ‘You mentioned your husband can get in a mood sometimes. How are things at home?’
    • ‘Is everything okay at home?’
  • How could you listen patiently and without interruption or judgment?
    • It’s important that we don’t force her to open up if she does not want to.
  • If she discloses fear or violence, how could you let her know you believe her?
    • Can you reassure her that violence is not her fault and is never okay?
  • How could you provide information to help her make her own choices about what happens next? For example:
    • ‘Thank you for sharing your experience with me. No one should have to experience what you are going through. What you choose to do with this information is up to you, but support services are available. Can I provide you with the details?’
  • If there are services present at the relief centre, such as specialist family violence workers, you can point them out.
  • If you need to debrief after the experience, you can speak confidentially to a specialist family violence service.

Additional resources:

If someone is in immediate danger, contact the police on Triple Zero (000).

Specialist family violence services:

Other resources:

Scenario 2: Managing resistance to talking about gender

Scenario:

During an emergency management planning meeting, ‘Gender and bushfire preparedness’ is included on the agenda for the first time. You notice a man in senior leadership from a partner agency rolling his eyes and exhaling loudly whenever this is mentioned.

Instructions:

  • Unpack the scenario (10 minutes): Discuss what might be happening and why. Come up with two possible responses.
  • Report back (10 minutes): Share a summary of your scenario and the responses with the group.

Prompts for unpacking the scenario:

  • These behaviours may indicate resistance to conversations about gender.
  • Resistance is often a normal part of change. It can arise when:
    • established beliefs are being challenged
    • those who benefit from maintaining the status quo feel their power is being threatened.
  • Resistance can also be a sign of limited experience. For example, a man may be less aware of the gendered impacts in emergencies if this has not been his lived experience.
  • Resistance can take on several forms, including:
    • refusing to engage in a conversation or activity
    • eye rolling, smirking, crossing arms, exhaling loudly
    • saying they will do something but not following up
    • talking down to the person raising gender or diversity
    • accusing people or a program of being ‘woke’
    • stating that gender equality, diversity and inclusion is not their role or is not important
    • using individual stories as evidence that there is no need to consider gender.

Prompts for responding:

  • How could you acknowledge the person’s behaviour and get resistance out in the open?
    For example: ‘I notice you haven’t contributed to this agenda item yet. Is there anything you’d like to share?’
  • How could you be curious about what's going on? Seek clarification to make sure you understand the question or comment.
    For example: ‘Could you repeat that, or expand on what you mean?’
  • How could you find common ground and shared values?
    • For example: most people agree they want to keep communities safe and assist in recovery. You can talk about how understanding the experiences and needs of different genders helps achieve this.
  • How could you use allies by encouraging others to share their thoughts?
    • For example: ‘It’s great to see gender added to the agenda. Don’t you think?’
    • ‘Adding this to the agenda might allow us to see things we might’ve missed before. Isn’t that great?’
  • How could you redirect the conversation to those who are open to engaging?
  • If it doesn’t feel appropriate or safe to address the behaviour in the meeting, could you:
    • chat with the Committee Chair
    • have a private conversation with your colleague following the meeting?

Additional resources:

Scenario 3: Creating equal space for diverse voices

Scenario:

As a member of the emergency management team, you attend a debriefing session at the local community hall following a storm event. You have been asked to take notes about emerging recovery priorities. You are speaking to an older couple about how the storm affected their property and how they are feeling. You notice that every time the woman starts to speak, her husband interrupts and speaks over her.

Instructions:

  • Unpack the scenario (10 minutes): Discuss what is happening and why. Come up with two possible responses.
  • Report back (10 minutes): Share a summary of your scenario and the responses with the group.

Prompts for unpacking the scenario:

  • Emergencies can reinforce traditional gender stereotypes of men as ‘protectors’ and women as ‘caregivers’.
  • This can lead to men taking charge and the experiences of women and gender diverse people being sidelined.
  • Due to conscious and unconscious bias, people may assume that what affects a man in a situation affects everyone in the same way.
  • It is important to ensure all voices are heard. This is important in recovery planning, where different perspectives help identify community needs.

Prompts for responding:

  • How could you acknowledge both people directly and invite them each to share their experiences? For example:
    • ‘Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I’d like to know how the storm impacted your property from both of your perspectives’.
    • ‘Please feel free to share your thoughts as well. It’s important for me to hear both of your experiences’.
  • How could you use body language and non-verbal cues to show you are paying attention to both of them? For example:
    • turning your body slightly as you ask each person a question
    • making eye contact
    • gesturing towards each person when inviting them to speak.
  • How might social and cultural norms around masculinity make open communication harder for women’s voices?
  • Could you follow up individually to ensure all voices are heard?

Additional resources:

Scenario 4: Implementing GIAs

Scenario:

A GIA completed 6 months ago recommended that the Emergency Management team integrate items from Gender & Disaster Australia’s Action Checklist(opens in a new window) into your emergency facility checklist. In a progress update during a team meeting, your colleague states: ‘I’ve reviewed that resource, and everything was pretty much covered, so no changes are needed’.

Instructions:

  • Unpack the scenario (10 minutes): What is happening and why. Come up with two possible responses.
  • Report back (10 minutes): Share a summary of your scenario and the responses as a group.

Prompts for unpacking the scenario:

  • Not implementing GIA recommendations may be a sign of resistance to change or to promoting gender equality more broadly.
  • Resistance can be:
    • open and defensive
    • subtle, such as denying there is a problem or not acting.
  • It can occur for several reasons, including:
    • lack of knowledge or understanding about the issue
    • fear of power or status will be challenged
    • anxiety or uncertainty about what the change will mean
    • lack of time, capacity or resources.
  • These comments may also show gaps in knowledge about:
    • the importance of considering gender in emergencies, or
    • ‘fear of getting it wrong’ when making changes.

Prompts for responding:

  • How could you acknowledge concerns about change? For example:
    • ‘I understand you feel like the existing checklist is comprehensive, but can we take a closer look at the specific recommendations from the GIA?’
  • How could you invite further discussion? For example:
    • ‘Could we discuss which parts of the checklist you reviewed and see where we might add items from the Gender & Disaster Australia Action Checklist?’
  • How could you create a learning opportunity or bring evidence into the conversation? For example:
    • ‘Research shows that when gender is considered in EM, outcomes for the community can improve. Could we look at some of that data at our next session?’
  • How could you seek input from others and make space for more perspectives? For example:
    • ‘What do others’ think about how well we integrate gender considerations? Is there an opportunity to better reflect the diverse needs of our community?’
  • Could it be helpful to suggest a review session? For example:
    • ‘It would be useful to schedule a follow-up session to revisit the checklist, so we keep our practices current and inclusive.’

Additional resources:

Scenario 5: Addressing gender and cultural stereotypes

Scenario:

A community event on emergency preparedness is coming up, and you are part of a working group organising the agenda and speakers. During a discussion about possible options for event speakers, an experienced Emergency Management Coordinator is suggested. In response, a colleague says, ‘I’m just not sure if she’s the right choice. These meetings are full of blokes, and we need someone who can command the room. Plus, it can be difficult to understand her accent sometimes’.

Instructions:

  • Unpack the scenario (10 minutes): Discuss what is happening and why. Come up with two possible responses.
  • Report back (10 minutes): Share a summary of your scenario and the responses with the group.

Prompts for unpacking the scenario:

  • These comments may reveal conscious or unconscious bias about a person’s capabilities, based on gender and cultural stereotypes.
  • This behaviour reflects disrespect and discrimination in the workplace (including sexism and racism). This can look like:
    • interrupting, talking over or ignoring contributions from women and people from culturally and racially marginalised communities
    • assuming women will take on supportive and administrative tasks (taking notes, coffee runs, cleaning up), rather than leading
    • questioning people’s abilities based on stereotypes or assumptions
    • attempting to silence or dismiss people’s viewpoints.

Prompts for responding:

  • You can respond by showing disapproval, speaking up, and supporting a respectful and inclusive culture.
  • How could you show that this is not okay using non-verbal cues? For example:
    • raising your eyebrows or frowning
    • shaking your head
    • shifting focus or turning your attention to others to show you do not accept the behaviour.
  • How could you speak up and call out this behaviour? For example:
    • ‘That comment isn’t appropriate’.
    • ‘C’mon, we can do better than that!’
    • ‘Alright, that’s enough’.
    • ‘Let’s move on to the next topic’.
  • If you want to address the bias more directly, how could you redirect the discussion to focus on the person’s skills and knowledge? For example:
    • ‘It’s important to consider her experience and familiarity with the community. I believe she’s more than capable of managing the room and keeping things on track. Someone’s gender or accent doesn’t detract from their ability to lead effectively or communicate clearly’.
  • How could you use this moment to challenge the underlying assumptions and support a culture of respect and inclusion?

Additional resources:

Scenario 6: Specialist services in emergencies

Scenario:

You are at a cross-agency emergency management meeting. During a conversation about community consultations, a colleague comments: ‘We don’t have the bandwidth to give LGBTIQA+ community members special treatment; we should just treat everybody the same’.

Instructions:

  • Unpack the scenario (10 minutes): Discuss what is happening and why. Come up with two possible responses.
  • Report back (10 minutes): Share a summary of your scenario and the responses with the group.

Prompts for unpacking the scenario:

  • This scenario indicates bias – conscious or unconscious – that overlooks the challenges faced by LGBTIQA+ people in emergencies.
  • It reflects a misunderstanding of gendered harm and inclusivity in emergency management. This can look like:
    • making general statements that ignore people’s different experiences
    • assuming that treating everyone the same will result in equal outcomes
    • dismissing the specific challenges faced by some groups, including fears of discrimination or safety concerns.
    • overlooking evidence that LGBTIQA+ people require specific support to access services and stay safe in emergencies
    • failing to acknowledge or include the voices of LGBTIQA+ community members in planning and decision-making
    • responding to LGBTIQA+ needs with defensiveness or dismissal, rather than engaging in constructive dialogue.

Prompts for responding:

  • How could you acknowledge your colleague's comment, without agreeing with it, and highlight the need for inclusion? For example:
    • ‘I understand resources are limited, but it’s important to recognise that people have different needs and it’s our job to consider them’.
    • ‘I appreciate your concern, but the research shows LGBTIQA+ people often face unique challenges during emergencies that differ from the general population’.
    • ‘Our goal is to ensure that all community members feel safe and supported. That includes recognising the specific needs of LGBTIQA+ communities’.
    • ‘Providing targeted support for LGBTIQA+ people doesn’t take away from others; it helps us meet the diverse needs of our community when they need us most’.
  • Could you seek input from others to create a more well-rounded and evidence-based perspective? For example:
    • ‘What do others think about the importance of addressing the needs of specific groups in our Emergency Management plan?’
  • What are some ways you could highlight the organisation’s legal and policy requirements to promote gender equality? For example:
    • ‘As part of the GIA process and EMV’s updated guidelines, we are required to understand and consider the interests, values and expectations of different community members. It’s important that we do that’.

Additional resources:

Download a copy of this factsheet:

6. Activity - Starting conversations about gender and emergencies
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