Because of its climate and topography, Indonesia is very prone to flood hazard. Every
year flooding severs vital transport arteries and often cuts access to ports and airports,
restricting commerce and the transfer of goods and services. Gender inequality heightens
vulnerability of women and men to the impact of disaster including flooding.

The Government of Indonesia (the government) Law No. 24/2007 on disaster management stipulates the principle of equality which cannot set out matters that differentiate against amongst others religious, ethnic, race, group, gender, or social status. Law No. 24/2007 also includes a disaster management milestone on early warning system.

The importance of effective early warning system is also highlighted as one of core action programs under priority 9 – environment and management of natural disasters – in the five year medium-term development plan (RPJMN) 2015- 2019, which defined an equitable and just nation as one of eight national development missions. “Just” nation means that there is no discrimination in any form, among individuals, gender, nor among regions. The development of early warning system is further entailed in the National Disaster Management Plan 2010-2014 and the National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction 2010-2012, both of which recognize that gender inequality will have an impact on the fate of women in disaster situations, and unequal position will be exacerbated by the special needs of women in disaster situations.