Women, Cyclones and Periods
Srujanee Mishra
Economics & Theatre Studies
2nd
Year of study:
Abstract
Women and girls comprise over the half of the 200 million people affected every year by natural disasters. Existing gender inequalities mean that natural hazards pose a greater risk for women and girls compared to their male counterparts, especially in poverty- stricken areas. On May 3, 2019, a powerful cyclone slammed into my hometown in the East Coast of India. It was one of the most severe storms of recent years. My project investigated the immediate impact of the cyclone on women and girls, with respect to drinking water and sanitation. My presentation will focus on the most urgent issue that emerged from my research- menstrual hygiene in times of disaster.
Bio
I am a second-year undergraduate student from the University of Glasgow. I am doing a joint honours in Economics and Theatre Studies. This often evokes a confused response from people; however, I have a very good reason for this strange combination. Through Economics, I can understand the complexities of urgent problems like poverty and gender inequality that still prevail in our world. With an understanding of the problems, I do not want to be limited to one discipline in search of solutions to these problems. I strongly believe that films and theatre have a profound impact on the minds of people, and they can be used to create significant change in society. Therefore, I want to bring about a change in people’s behaviour, attitudes and habits through powerful creative mediums to achieve my vision of an ideal world.