The article relies on quantitative data at a national scale to document gender disparities in disaster contexts. Authors look at the life expectancy at birth, unemployment rates, human development index values, maternal mortality rates and the number of deaths from unnatural and non-natural causes to generate inequality indices and draw conclusions regarding the gender aspects of disaster risk management in South Africa. The results show that between 1980 and 2011, men were 10% more vulnerable regarding their health status. It also shows that gender differences have decreased in recent years. There is a decrease in access to healthcare for women; women are more economically vulnerable than men in S.A. as they are 16.3-33% more likely to be unemployed. However, men are five times more likely to suffer fatal injuries during disasters.