Flooding is one of the most common hazards affecting many communities in Cambodia, and women headed households are disproportionately affected by these floods. Women are most present in areas of employment within the agricultural and informal sectors, which are often the worst affected by disasters; thus the rates of unemployment among women after a disaster are high. In general, women are the most likely to be affected by floods, but their concerns are least likely to be addressed. Women are typically absent from the forum where Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) decisions/ planning is made, so when priorities are established, the interests of women are often poorly represented.

There is a need of detailed analysis on how disaster or flood affects women and how DRR planning could be more gender-sensitive. The study is commissioned to examine in detailed impact of flood on women in Cambodia. The study investigates how floods affect women differentially from men, what are the most significant problems that women face during and after a disaster; and make recommendations on how to integrate gender analysis into disaster planning.