As climate disasters intensify, defense and security institutions are increasingly called upon to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR). One only needs to scan the news to see the role these institutions have been playing: the German military during a July 2021 flood in Europe; NATO following a devastating 2023 earthquake in Türkiye; United States (US) Marines in the Philippines after Typhoon Krathon in October 2024, working at one point alongside the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Marine Rotational Force–Southeast Asia to distribute materials such as tarps, shelter kits, and food packets. These institutions possess unique capabilities, including rapid mobilization of personnel and resources, logistics expertise, and specialized equipment crucial for immediate disaster response. Their established command structures and ability to operate in challenging conditions make them invaluable first responders when civilian infrastructure is overwhelmed.

The expertise of these institutions in HA/DR, however, does not ensure an operationalization of a gender perspective in crisis settings—an important consideration, given that the impacts of climate disasters are not felt evenly by all populations. Women in particular face disproportionate risks in disasters like catastrophic typhoons and prolonged droughts, as entrenched gender inequalities shape both their individual vulnerabilities and broader security threats. However, conventional approaches to disaster response have often failed to account for these complex dynamics, leading to gaps in aid delivery and unintended consequences for affected communities.

Women’s civil society organizations (CSOs), with their deep community roots and understanding of gender dynamics, are key to addressing these gaps. Yet, many women’s CSOs are cautious in partnering with defense institutions due to historical tensions rooted in anti-militarization movements and the need to preserve their feminist principles and community trust. As climate change accelerates instability worldwide, building thoughtful, regenerative partnerships that respect these tensions while advancing shared humanitarian goals is becoming increasingly urgent. Read more