Women are more exposed to disasters," United Nations Development Programme Administrator Helen Clark said on the sidelines of a once-in-a-decade UN conference on disaster risk reduction in Japan.
"There is a range of reasons,'' said Ms Clark, a former New Zealand prime minister.
"They may be trapped at home, they may be caring for sick or disabled family members, young children.
"In some societies where these disasters hit, the culture may be that the woman doesn't leave the home. So if she can't leave the home how can she escape?''