C. D. DE SILVA

SENIOR STATISTICIAN

DEPARTMENT OF CENSUS & STATISTICS

SRI LANKA

WORK SHOP ON IMPROVING THE INTEGRATION OF A

GENDER PERSPECTIVE IN TO OFFICIAL STATISTICS

Chiba, Japan 16 – 19 April 2013

GENDER ISSUES IN TO ENVIRONMENT STATISTICS

Outline

Sri Lanka Overview Sri Lanka census on the Tsunami 2004 Major sources of Gender Statistics on

environment Gender and natural disasters Environmental impact on health Management of the environment Issues Suggestions

Geographic Location

Sri Lanka Overview

Population – 20.2 Million

Male - 48.5%

Female - 51.5%

Total land area 65,610 Sq.Km

• The Majority of the total population of Sri Lanka comprises with female population which accounted 51.5 percent out of the total population, while the sex ratio is 94.3 percent.

• Tsunami affected on 26th of December 2004.

• It affected Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western coasts of Sri Lanka.

• 13 District out of 14 Districts of the coastal belt has affected.

• Data were disaggregated by sex

Sri Lanka Census on the Persons and Building

affected by the Tsunami

Percentage of all persons who are living in the damage housing units by sex

Male 182481

Female 181781

Not Stated 306

Total 364262

Source – Department Of Census & Statistics

• It has been reported that around Three Hundred & Sixty Four Thousand people were living in the affected housing units.

Percentage of children under 5 years who are living

in the damaged housing units by sex

Male 16234Female 15494Not Stated 31

Total 31759

0.1%

51.1%48.8%

Male Female Not Stated

Source – Department Of Census & Statistics

It can be seen that slightly more men than females were living in the damaged housing units .

There were few cases who have not reported their age and sex.

Women in the reproductive age group (15-49) who are living in the damaged housing units

Source – Department Of Census & Statistics

6.6

1.2

6.8

14.3

7.8

2.4

19.1 19.7

9.6

5.8 6.4

0.3 0.10

5

10

15

20

25

Colombo

Gampa

ha

Kaluta

raGall

e

Mat

ara

Hambanto

ta

Ampa

ra

Battic

aloe

Trinco

male

e

Jaffn

a

Mull

ativu

Killino

chch

i

Puttal

am

Districts

Per

cent

The highest women in reproductive age group was reported from Batticaloa and Ampara districts and the lowest in Puttalam district.

Percentage of persons injured due to Tsunami who are

living in the damaged housing units by sex

Source – Department Of Census & Statistics

0

20

40

60

80

100

Colom

bo

Gam

paha

Kalut

ara

Gall

e

Mat

ara

Hamba

ntota

Ampa

ra

Battic

aloe

Trinco

mal

ee

Jaffn

a

Mull

ativu

Killinoc

hchi

Putta

lam

Districts

Percent

Male Female

Among the injured majority were males except in Kilinochchi and Mulativu Districts.

Distribution of dead and missing persons due to Tsunami who lived in damaged housing units by

sex

Source – Department Of Census & Statistics

35.4

64.6

39.9

60.1

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female Male Female

Dead Missing

Percent

Among the dead and missing majority were females.

Major Sources of Gender Statistics on Environment

- Tsunami Census – 2004

- National Disaster Relief Services Centre

- Department of Meteorology

- Disaster Management Centre

- National Building Research Organisation

- Department of Forest

- Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources

- Demographic and Health Survey -2006/07

(Department of Census & Statistics)

- Household Income & Expenditure Survey 2009/10

(Department of Census & Statistics)

- Ministry of Health

Gender and Natural Disasters The ministry of Disaster Management has drafted the National

Policy for Disaster Management in Sri Lanka.

The Disaster Management centre of Sri Lanka was established

under the act No 13 of 2005 after the Tsunami 2004.

M ost common hazards experience in Sri Lanka are- Flood- Drought- Lightening- Cyclone- Landslides

Data on deaths due to natural disasters disaggregated by sex are not available

Numbers of Persons Affected by Natural Disasters 2005-2011

Source – National Disaster Relief Services Centre

After 2009 there exist an Increasing trend of floods mostly due to monsoonal rain or effects of low pressure systems .

Droughts occur due to failure of monsoonal rain .

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Flood Drought

Lightening (Thundering) Cyclone

Landslides

Persons deaths by Natural Disasters, 2005-2011

Source – National Disaster Relief Services Centre

0

20

40

60

80

100

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Flood Lightening (Thundering) Cyclone Landslides

Statistics on diseases due to certain Environmental Factors

Source – Health Administrative Reports

Department of Census & Statistics

0

20

40

60

80

100L

ep

tosp

iro

sis

De

ng

ue

Fe

ver

De

ng

ue

ha

em

orh

ag

icfe

ver

Ast

hm

a

Bro

nch

ied

asi

s

Glo

me

rula

rd

ise

ase

s

Infe

ctio

ns

of

the

kid

ne

y

Re

na

l fa

ilure

Male Female Diseases

%

0

20

40

60

80

100

Lepto

spiro

sis

Dengue

Fev

er

Dengue

hae

mor

hagic

feve

r

Mala

ria

Filaria

sis

Asthm

a

Bronch

iedas

is

Glomer

ular d

iseas

es

Infe

ction

s of t

he ki

dney

Renal fa

ilure

Male Female

Diseases

%

Source – Health Administrative Reports

Department of Census & Statistics

Statistics on deaths due to certain Environmental Factors

Involvement of women and men in management of the environment

The publication of the Sri Lanka women 2007 done by the department of census & Statistics, include the involvement of management positions of Administrative ,Scientific, Planning ,Accountants ,Engineering ,Medical Services by sex.

But managerial positions in environment ministries or environment related ministries such as forestry, energy, water, sanitation or agriculture etc. by sex and type of ministry are not collected.

Administrative sources are used for this purpose.

Suggestions

Issues

• Unavailability of timely , up to date and comparable gender statistics related to environment

• Health survey’s focuses on a particular group. Example - DHS mainly focuses on monitoring the situation of women and children.

• To include environmental gender statistics to the official statistics system in Sri Lanka.

• Develop a core set on gender statistics to the environment.

Thank You