en Public Administration & Health management and economics Public Administration & Health management and economics Original Research Original Research <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">Background: </span></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">Drought is one of the most frequent natural hazards in Iran. Gender analysis can highlight the different needs and capacities of men and women to manage drought hazards. Thus, the present study aimed to map drought and the gender gap in drought data based on the provincial zones in 2011 and 2016.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">&nbsp;&nbsp; <b>Methods:</b> This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2 stages establishing a database and spatial analysis. Data mapping was done based on provincial divisions, sex-disaggregated&nbsp;&nbsp; distribution of literacy, and employment rate as well as drought patterns in Iran in 2011 and 2016 using ArcGIS software. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze and report the sex-disaggregated literacy and employment data. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">&nbsp;&nbsp; <b>Results: </b>About 80.73% and 75.27% of women and 80.89% and 74.74% of men experienced severe and very severe droughts in 2011 and 2016, respectively. Gender inequality in the aspects of literacy and employment in drought-affected regions was found in 2011 and 2016. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal">&nbsp;&nbsp; Conclusion:</span></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"> Community-based planning and management in regions exposed to climate change are suggested for reducing the consequences of climatic disasters such as droughts. Women need to be empowered and trained for innovative livelihood activities in rural and urban areas in Iran and other developing countries affected by long-term droughts.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="text-autospace:none"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-style:normal"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Gender, Drought, Literacy, Employment, Geographic Information System, Iran 1118 1125 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-6328-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Sanaz Sohrabizadeh Sohrabizadeh@sbmu.ac.ir 200319475328460074668 200319475328460074668 Yes Air Quality and Climate Change Research Center, & Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Amirhosein Bahramzadeh amirhoseinbahramzadeh@gmail.com 200319475328460074669 200319475328460074669 No Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ahamd Ali Hanafi-Bojd aahanafibojd@yahoo.com 200319475328460074670 200319475328460074670 No Department of Medical Entomology & Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran