title: Women's Challenges and Capabilities in Disasters: A Case Report of the Twin Earthquakes of Eastern Azerbaijan, Iran.
abstract: Introduction: The twin earthquakes of eastern Azerbaijan induced considerable devastations of many villages and cities. About 70% of all victims were women and children. The present case report was aimed at describing the lessons learnt from both capabilities and challenges of girls and women after the twin earthquakes of eastern Azerbaijan.Methods: A qualitative approach using in-depth unstructured interviews was used for this study. A total of 13 participants (two men and 11 women), affected by the quakes, were interviewed applying the purposeful sampling method. A manifest content analysis was performed for analyzing the transcribed interviewsCase presentation: Two categories of women's capabilities and challenges and four subcategories of women's participation in community reconstruction, livelihood efforts, aggravated poverty and violence were extracted from the data which were gathered in the destroyed fields of eastern Azerbaijan.Lessons learnt: Women can play an important role in post-disaster recovery. Consequently, ignoring the challenges and capabilities of women may impede post-disaster development processes, which would adversely affect the whole community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health, Safety and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sohrabizadeh
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor in School of Health, Safety and Environment Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Katayoun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jahangiri
authors.affiliation: Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Reza Khani
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Jazani
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Iranian Center of Excellence in Health Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Babaie
authors.affiliation: Department of Disaster Public Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Trauma Research Center, Shahid Rajaee (Emtiaz) Trauma Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Moradian
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Disaster and Emergency Health, I.R.Iran's National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences national institute of health research.
authors.forename: Behnaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rastegarfar