Reflections on Evaluating Disaster Risk Reduction Programs from a Girl-Centered Lens.

Introduction

Flames and Lilies Climate Initiative, a Zimbabwean eco-feminist youth organization, works at the intersection of climate justice and gender equality. Between July and October 2024, they held climate and disaster risk education workshops with adolescent girls and young women from urban and peri-urban towns of Harare, Epworth, and Bindura. Three cohorts were trained in feminist participatory action research (FPAR), equipping them to explore the gendered dimensions of climate challenges in their communities. As part of this initiative, a team of seven youth researchers evaluated Harare’s disaster risk reduction (DRR) programs through a girl-centered lens.

This article shares reflections from three of the young and emerging evaluators/researchers, as well as the founder’s perspective, on the evaluation process. 

Chido founder facilitating workshop with adolescents and young women ©Flames and Lilies

Harare has faced different disasters in recent years: seasonal floods, prolonged droughts, and socio-economic shocks. These crises disproportionately affect marginalized groups. The specific needs and vulnerabilities of adolescent girls, are often invisible in mainstream disaster preparedness and response planning. Adopting a girl-centered lens is crucial to designing inclusive DRR strategies and building resilience among those at risk.

Why Focus on Girls?

Girls often exist at the intersection of multiple vulnerabilities in disaster contexts. They are more likely to face gender-based violence, interruption in schooling, early marriage, and exclusion from emergency aid. Yet, when their voices are heard and their agency is nurtured, girls can become powerful changemakers in their communities.

©Chido Nyaruwata

Centering girls is not just a matter of fairness. It is a strategic investment in building stronger, more resilient communities. Empowering girls means unlocking innovative, grassroots solutions that enhance disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

Our Evaluation Journey

The  evaluation question guiding our work is, "To what level and with what success are the existing DRR programs accounting for the needs of girls and other physically strained individuals?" This question led us to unpack the complexities of gender and age-sensitive disaster risk management. Whilst our evaluation considered the regulatory and legislative framework governing disaster risk management in Zimbabwe, our evaluation focused on the impact and responses of climate-induced disasters affecting different suburbs in Harare such as Arcadia and the 2024 fire disaster in Mbare Musika. 

Initial Challenges and Breakthroughs

One of the first hurdles we encountered was the limited availability of accessible and systematic documentation on existing DRR programs. Secondly, reaching out to girls and other marginalized individuals required intentionality and sensitivity. 

However, these challenges became growth opportunities. We embraced participatory methods, which included reviewing available policy documents, and grey literature, conducting informal interviews, and creating safe spaces for open dialogue. One moment that stood out was an interview with a young girl who shared her experience of walking long distances daily to fetch water for her household. Her voice, alongside her grandmother’s, revealed the invisible yet overwhelming burden placed on girls in disaster-prone environments.

Initially hesitant to speak and share their experiences, the girl and her grandmother feared judgment or unwanted exposure. However, participants opened up once we explained the purpose of our evaluation. They understood that our goal was to amplify their experiences and advocate for more inclusive DRR solutions.

Another significant challenge was gaining access to DRR experts working in these areas. We believe that if we had gained access to more key informants, we would have had a stronger ability to evaluate and understand some of the gender data gaps that were identified in document reviews. 

©Flames and Lilies

Final Reflections

Throughout the evaluation process, we were reminded of the importance of humility and openness. We entered the field with a willingness to learn and listen, recognizing that the true experts were the individuals living through these daily challenges. This mindset allowed us to uncover stories and insights that may have otherwise remained hidden.

Our experience underscores the value of a girl-centered approach in DRR. By placing girls at the forefront of our research, we uncovered not only their vulnerabilities, but also their strengths and capacities. This experience illustrates the need for young people to be positioned as experts, not just beneficiaries or add-ons to research processes. Their insights on issues affecting them such as climate-induced disasters, such as the El Nino induced droughts, provide critical interventions and enable us to address intersectionality blind spots. This approach not only enriched our understanding of disaster risk management but also highlighted the potential for transformative change when girls are empowered to lead. 

Young people must be provided access to resources to conduct this research and develop solutions that speak to their needs. Our journey in evaluating DRR programs from a girl-centered lens was a testament to the power of authentic engagement and participatory research. The success of our work was rooted in the genuine connections we made with our participants and the lessons we learned from them. 

As we move forward, future DRR initiatives must prioritize the empowerment of girls and other vulnerable populations, recognizing their critical role in building resilient communities.

Authors: A group of young and emerging evaluators: Chido Nyaruwata, Fadzai Valerie Mukove, Talent Makanaka Murawo, Chikomborero Marimo,