Abstract

In reaction to the rapidly increasing and intensifying natural hazards that have emerged as a result of climate change, militaries are becoming more prominent in the humanitarian space due to their functional capabilities. However, considering the links between an increase in security personnel and the heightened vulnerability of women to sexual and gender-based violence, there is also a need to look beyond the functional advantages of the military during disaster responses by integrating a gendered perspective – specifically through the use of the WPS agenda – to shed light on the specific risks of women and girls in disaster contexts. By analysing the central role of the military in the Southeast Asian humanitarian architecture through the four pillars of the WPS agenda, this paper looks to deliver insights into the potential impacts of the increasing military presence in humanitarian response elsewhere.