(Thumbnail image: The Guardian)

Relief agencies in Haiti have come up with a new strategy to give out food to struggling earthquake victims.  For the next two weeks, women will be given food, before men. This new plan has sparked some concern over gender-based aid distribution.

We’re looking at perspectives from NPR, New America Media, The Spearhead, Al Jazeera English, and CNN.

NPR says one reason for the change is to create a calm environment for everyone, without the recurring violence.

“Organizers say they’re giving food voucher tickets almost exclusively now to women, because previous food handouts were sometimes disrupted by young men pushing their way to the front of the line or taking the heavy bags of rice and other dry goods away from women.”

A blogger for New America Media writes that women are the most vulnerable victims during disasters.

“…women are often hardest hit when disaster strikes because they were at a deficit even before the catastrophe. In Haiti, and in every country, women are the poorest and often have no safety net, leaving them most exposed to violence, homelessness and hunger in the wake of disasters.”

A blogger for The Spearhead says that helping one gender instead of the other isn’t a fair solution.

“…if men are needlessly dying because these women’s groups are hoarding supplies for women only, the Haitian government should send troops in to seize the supplies and distribute them equally to needy men and women alike.”

Al Jazeera English reports, without the voucher system in place, other parts of Haiti are still experiencing food riots.

“The population is not satisfied because there’s a problem with the ticket distribution. There’s not enough tickets for everyone.”

“While some order has been brought to the process almost 3 weeks after the earthquake, elsewhere in the city chaotic and unorganized distribution goes on.”

Still, CNN says that because of the strategy change, Haitian women who received vouchers feel safer standing in food lines, and more hopeful about the future.  

“US soldiers provide a security here checking coupons that had been given out a day earlier entitling each woman to a bag of rice, enough to feed a family for two weeks.  A moment to rejoice.” 

So, is it right to distribute aid to one gender over the other? Or do women need the extra help?

Writer: Amanda Heisey