The Performance of Social Capital of Women Heads of Households in Earthquake Recovery (Case study of female-headed households living in earthquake-stricken areas of Kermanshah province)

Social capital considered as a key element in disaster recovery and resilience. However, little attention been paid to the characteristics that support or weaken women's social capital in disasters. The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of social capital forms (transplantation, bridge and transplantation) in the recovery of female-headed households after the earthquake in Kermanshah province. The study population was all female-headed households affected by the earthquake, and 20 of them were purposefully interview in-depth. The sample size was determin by theoretical saturation criteria. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Finally, four main themes were extract in relation to the three forms of social capital in chronological order: "Cooperation and mutual assistance immediately after the earthquake", "Lack of access to relief resources after the arrival of relief aid", "Destruction of communities" And "Accommodation in a temporary camp", "Social inequality in the reconstruction phase". The results of this study indicate that social capital, as a kind of non-institutional social force, facilitates the recovery of earthquake-stricken households. Accordingly, post-disaster recovery depends on the removal of pre-disaster socio-cultural barriers, and in addition to improving the emergency response and long-term resilience to disasters, relief programs must play the role of various forms of social capital at each stage of the disaster. In addition, consider how it is formed with cultural, social, gender, etc. inequalities already existing in societies.