Protection of Vulnerable Groups in Natural and Man-Made Disasters

Abstract

Disasters do not affect all people evenly. Some people end up paying a higher price due to pre-existing conditions that influence their vulnerability. Among the key factors that determine how people are affected by disaster and able to cope with it are gender, age, disability, race, or ethnicity. Thus, women, children, older persons, people with disability and minorities, and indigenous groups are widely recognized as particularly vulnerable and in need of specific protection in disaster situation. Protection of vulnerable groups is grounded in various international human rights laws and standards. For each category of vulnerable population this chapter offers an overview of the main protection concerns commonly found in both man-made and natural disasters, the normative frameworks that provide for their protection as well as a review of the practice in disaster situations. The analysis reveals inconsistencies in relation to the amount and the extent to which international norms are actually applied across the whole disaster management cycle, that result in significant disparities in the way the needs and concerns of different categories of people are recognized and addressed. Among all, older people have received the least attention, followed by persons with disability, minorities, and indigenous groups. Lack of disaggregated data that provide evidence and guide response to the different needs and constraints different people face is one of the biggest challenges to the protection of vulnerable groups in disaster situations. Overall, despite significant advances in the past years, sensitivity to diversity and inclusiveness continues to be mostly a theoretical commitment rather than a practice in disaster management.