5th UF Water Institute Symposium Abstract

   
Submitter's Name David Hanson
Session Name Poster Session - Climate Change & Variability
Poster Number 6
 
Author(s) David Hanson,  University of Florida, Department of Geography (Presenting Author)
   
  Livelihoods at risk? Applying a Gendered Livelihood Vulnerability Index in Grenada
   
  Small island developing states like Grenada are vulnerable to various hazards as a result of their relatively small size, insularity and remoteness, small exposed interiors and large coastal zones, limited human resource base, small economies and dependence on natural resources. Further, livelihood vulnerability is not equally distributed as a result of social structures such as gender, age and caste. Gender was chosen as the main social structure as it is argued that women are more vulnerable to natural hazards. Thus, this study examines gendered vulnerability to climate variability by adapting the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) for the Willis/New Hampshire community in Grenada. Whereas other LVI studies have sought to compare vulnerabilities between two communities, this study looked at differences within a community. Household data was collected for eight types of assets- including water resources, which were aggregated into composite LVIs and differential vulnerabilities of female headed households and non-female headed households (“other”) was compared. Results suggest that female headed households are generally more vulnerable than non-female headed households. However, female headed households were less sensitive to climate variability and employed more effective coping and adaptive strategies than non-female headed households