Lead supervisor:
Dr Riikka Savolainen 
Other supervisor(s):
- Dr Ansgar Wohlschlegel
Start date: October 2025 (Full time)
Award: General
Subject Pathway:
Economics
Thematic Cluster:
Economy, Enterprise, and Productivity Cluster
Socioeconomic and Health Vulnerabilities of Women in Disasters: A Cross-country and MicroLevel Analysis
As climate change increases the frequency and severity of disasters, it is essential to develop gender-sensitive resilience strategies. Women in low-income countries are often more vulnerable because of limited access to healthcare, restricted mobility, and exclusion from disaster preparedness programs [1], [2], [3]. Many studies focus on immediate impacts of disasters such as economic losses and mortality, but gaps remain in studying the long-term effects on women’s quality of life (QoL). It means how well people live within their social and cultural environment [4], specifically whether women can secure employment, access healthcare, and maintain a decent standard of living post-disaster or if they remain trapped in long-term vulnerability [5], [6].
This study employs a two-part framework: a cross-country analysis between different income groups to explore the impacts of disaster severity on life expectancy and a micro-level study in Pakistan to examine cumulative impacts on women’s QoL considering rural urban-differences and intersectional factors (such as ethnicity, age, household demographics). The study applies fixed effects panel regression, log-log model, staggered Difference-in-Difference and Events study methodology. The data will be obtained using secondary data sources from Emergency Events Database, the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement, and the World Bank.
Existing research has largely focused on short-term disaster effects such as economic losses and mortality, overlooking how disasters shape long-term quality of life outcomes for women. This study addresses that gap by connecting cross-country trends with micro-level insights, offering an intersectional understanding of how socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic factors influence recovery trajectories.
Research Impact
This study moves beyond theoretical contributions to provide actionable knowledge for policymakers. Outcomes will support Pakistan’s National and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) and NGOs, to ensure integration of gender-disaggregated data into policy frameworks. Furthermore, the study’s relevance extends beyond Pakistan, offering insights to disaster-prone regions such Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. The findings align with international policy frameworks – Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and UN-SDGs 5 and 13, reinforcing the global implications of the study. Its dual-level approach ensures global relevance and local applicability, making it a valuable resource for future scholarship and practical interventions prioritising vulnerable women in disaster recovery.
Bibliography
[1] M. Kirchberger, ‘Natural disasters and labor markets’, Journal of Development Economics, vol. 125, pp. 40–58, 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2016.11.002.
[2] E. Neumayer and T. Plümper, ‘The Gendered Nature of Natural Disasters: The Impact of Catastrophic Events on the Gender Gap in Life Expectancy, 1981–2002’, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, vol. 97, no. 3, pp. 551–566, Sep. 2007, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8306.2007.00563.x.
[3] D. Strömberg, ‘Natural Disasters, Economic Development, and Humanitarian Aid’, Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 199–222, Jul. 2007, doi: 10.1257/jep.21.3.199.
[4] The Whoqol Group, ‘The World Health Organization quality of life assessment (WHOQOL): Development and general psychometric properties’, Social Science & Medicine, vol. 46, no. 12, pp. 1569–1585, Jun. 1998, doi: 10.1016/S0277-9536(98)00009-4.
[5] Y. Hong, J.-S. Kim, and J.-H. Lee, ‘How Does the Quality of Life Affect Individuals’ Disaster Preparedness Behaviors? A Moderated Mediation Model-Based Case Study’, Soc Indic Res, vol. 148, no. 3, pp. 1039–1052, Apr. 2020, doi: 10.1007/s11205-019-02220-x.
[6] A. Pappas, S. Kovats, and M. Ranganathan, ‘Extreme weather events and maternal health in low-income and middle- income countries: a scoping review’, BMJ Open, 2024, doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079361.
Biography
My academic journey is a mix of exploration and adaptation. I began in the natural sciences and then realised that my interests lay in the social sciences. This led me to economics, where I discovered the intersection of theory and its real-world applications. Eventually, my evolving academic interests have shaped my ambition to explore economics through interdisciplinary approaches to resilience and development.