Introduction

While several studies have emphasized the vulnerability and helplessness of women during disasters due to sociocultural norms (Ikeda 1995; Enarson and Morrow 1998; Fothergill 1998; Rashid 2002; Enarson and Meyreles 2004; Islam 2011), research in this area remains limited. This chapter presents the implication of gender roles to children's food and nutrition security in extreme weather events (EWEs). More specifically, it links three factors: EWEs, maternal care, and child nutrition preservation in the face of a flooding disaster, using the 2009 floods in the Philippines as a case study. It provides a detailed insight into how women used critical caring roles to the advantage of the family during this calamity and contributes to building the argument that maternal care strongly contributes to child nutrition preservation in normal pre-crisis conditions and more so during EWEs and disasters.

On September 26, 2009, tropical storm Ketsana (Ondoy) brought an unusually heavy volume of rain in 12 hours causing widespread flooding in 25 provinces of Luzon, including Manila (World Bank 2011). A week later, typhoon Parma (Pepeng) brought more rain (> 1,000mm) over the already-flooded areas (World Bank 2011). Thousands of households were caught unprepared in the torrential rain and floodwaters. Agriculture was heavily affected, threatening food security across the entire country.

Undernutrition and climate

Malnutrition is a broad term used to describe the state of a body unable to get the appropriate amounts of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals needed to maintain the health of tissues and enable proper functioning of organs. There are two main types of malnutrition: undernutrition (used here synonymously with protein-energy malnutrition), which is a result of inadequate intake of calories from proteins, vitamins, and minerals; and over-nutrition, which is a dietary imbalance or excess as a result of eating large amounts of food, unhealthy food choices, lack of physical activity, and unnecessary use of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

Climate is defined as the average weather pattern for a particular area usually over a period of 30 years. The climate has a complex system that brings about the average weather and variations in conditions (IPCC 2007). Human activities depend on the climate system. In the first instance, food production systems are influenced by the availability of crops and water, which are dependent on the climate and weather conditions.