Safe Shelter Research Articles

Biotic Interactions Shape Soil Bacterial Beta Diversity Patterns along an Altitudinal Gradient during Invasion

Invasive plants have already been observed in the understory of mountain forests, which are often considered a safe shelter for most native plants. Microorganisms might be drivers of plant invasions. Nevertheless, the mechanisms determining variations in microbial community composition (beta diversity) during invasion along altitudinal gradients remain to be elucidated. Here, the elevational patterns and the driving ecological processes (e.g., environmental filtering, co-occurrence patterns, and community assembly processes) of soil bacterial beta diversity were compared between invasive and native plants on the Qinling Mountains. The species turnover dominated bacterial compositional dissimilarities in both invasive and native communities, and its contribution to total beta diversity decreased during invasion. Total soil bacterial dissimilarities and turnover exhibited significant binominal patterns over an altitudinal gradient, with a tipping point of 1413 m. Further analysis showed that the contributions of assembly processes decreased in parallel with an increase in contributions of co-occurrence patterns during the invasion process, indicating that species interdependence rather than niche partitioning is strongly correlated with the bacterial biogeography of invasive communities. Plant invasion affects the relative contributions of stochastic processes and co-occurrence interactions through the regulation of the physiochemical characteristics of soil, and ultimately determines compositional dissimilarities and the components of the bacterial community along altitudinal gradients.

Method development to evaluate public buildings as safe air shelters during smoke episodes

Method development to evaluate public buildings as safe air shelters during smoke episodes

O legado de Galbinski: As premissas de projeto das edificações monumentais da biblioteca central e do restaurante universitário da Universidade de Brasília

The architecture was developed in such a way as to meet the needs of society. It, which in the early days was intended to serve only as safe shelters, currently must also promote harmony, beauty, comfort and well-being. Knowing this, at the time of the construction of Brasília, an imposing university was thought of in which the library and the restaurant were of equal magnitude, to represent its professors, researchers, students and technicians. This challenge fell to the architect José Galbinski, who designed two monumental buildings: the Central Library and the University Restaurant of the University of Brasilia. In 2016, an in-person interview was conducted with Professor Dr. Galbinski at his workplace in which information was collected about the process of creating these works, focusing mainly on his design premises. Therefore, the main objective of this scientific work is to share such information from when these works were still only in the realm of ideas and to share the story of the creator José Galbinski and his creatures (Library and Restaurant). To quantify the success of these premises, questionnaires were answered by its users, who evaluated the degree of comfort of these constructions. These results of the questionnaires will be explained shortly.

Optimizing Disaster Response through Efficient Path Planning of Mobile Aerial Base Station with Genetic Algorithm

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, as mobile aerial base stations (MABSs) in Disaster Response Networks (DRNs) has gained significant interest in addressing coverage gaps of user equipment (UE) and establishing ubiquitous connectivity. In the event of natural disasters, the traditional base station is often destroyed, leading to significant challenges for UEs in establishing communication with emergency services. This study explores the deployment of MABS to provide network service to terrestrial users in a geographical area after a disaster. The UEs are organized into clusters at safe locations or evacuation shelters as part of the communication infrastructure. The main goal is to provide regular wireless communication for geographically dispersed users using Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology. The MABS traveling at an average speed of 50 km/h visits different cluster centroids determined by the Affinity Propagation Clustering (APC) algorithm. A combination of graph theory and a Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used through mutators with a fitness function to obtain the most efficient flyable paths through an evolution pool of 100 generations. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm was compared with the benchmark fitness function and analyzed using the number of serviced UE performance indicators. System-level simulations were used to evaluate the performance of the proposed new fitness function in terms of the UEs served by the MABS after the MABS deployment, fitness score, service ratio, and path smoothness ratio. The results show that the proposed fitness function improved the overall service of UEs after MABS deployment and the fitness score, service ratio, and path smoothness ratio under a given number of MABS.

Implementing a Safe Sleep Shelter and Baby Bundle Kit Distribution Program.

The Georgia Department of Public Health developed the Safe Sleep Shelter Program to expand Georgia Safe to Sleep campaign efforts. The program focused on engaging with housing support agencies, homeless shelters, and domestic violence shelters. The program offered a menu of resources that agencies could choose from, including portable cribs for agency use and distribution to families, safe sleep education for staff, assistance with creating/updating agency safe sleep policies, and Baby Bundle Safe Sleep kits with education and resources for families. The program showed promising results: 44 agencies across the state applied, serving an estimated 20,950 individuals annually. Agencies expressed strong interest in expanding safe sleep education and resources for the families they served. Most agencies reported that the program filled gaps in services, including having enough cribs to meet demand and limited safe sleep education and resources. Agencies reported that parents appreciated the cribs and Baby Bundle Safe Sleep kits as most did not have money to purchase an infant sleep surface. Agencies reported that the resources provided new information to infant parents, facilitated discussion, and reinforced safe sleep messaging. Evaluation challenges included difficulties collecting distribution data and a low response rate for parent surveys. Implications are discussed for others interested in implementing such a program, including to develop processes for communicating updated recommendations, leverage existing relationships to engage additional agencies, evaluate efforts to refine program components, and consider strategies to increase parent survey response rates.

Perlakuan Diskriminatif Terhadap Pengungsi Kulit Hitam Di Ukrainperlakuan Diskriminatif Terhadap Pengungsi Kulit Hitam Di Ukraina

Introduction: When the Russian invasion of Ukraine caused thousands of refugees to seek refuge in neighboring countries, not a few of the black refugees were discriminated against and made it difficult for Ukrainian border officials to find protection. This fact illustrates the violation of Human Rights, especially for black refugees, because it is not in accordance with the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol. This makes the author examine the Discriminatory Treatment of Black Refugees in Ukraine.Purposes of the Research: This study aims to examine how discriminatory treatment of black refugees can be qualified as a violation of human rights, how is the responsibility of UNHCR in dealing with the issue of refugees being discriminated againstMethods of the Research: This research is a normative juridical research by means of research conducted by collecting primary, secondary, tertiary data, obtained by using library research. The data that has been collected is analyzed systematically based on legal disciplines to achieve clarity on the issues to be discussedResults of the Research: The results obtained from this study are, discriminatory treatment of black refugees can be qualified as a violation of Human Rights because it violates the principles of Human Rights which are jus cogens, and is not in accordance with the rights of refugees as regulated in the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol. Then the responsibility of UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) in dealing with the issue of discrimination against black refugees is coordinating with the Government of Ukraine and third countries or countries that provide asylum, in providing protection by providing facilities and ensuring that refugees are treated equally in fulfilling their rights, to find safe and appropriate shelter.

Meeting the Health and Social Needs of America's Unhoused and Housing-Unstable Populations: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians.

Access to safe and stable housing has both a direct and indirect effect on health. Experiencing homelessness and housing instability can induce stress and trauma, worsening behavioral health and substance use. The absence of safe and stable living conditions can make it challenging to rest, recuperate, and recover from health ailments and can pose barriers to treatment adherence. Homelessness and housing instability is associated with high rates of numerous diseases and chronic conditions. Its cyclical relationship with other social drivers of health can exacerbate health disparities. As a result, unhoused persons experience unique health challenges and require a health care system and professionals designed to meet their distinct needs. Physicians and other health professionals have a role in educating themselves about the needs of unhoused patients as well as making themselves aware of community and government resources available to these populations. Policymakers must support health professionals in these efforts by supporting the data infrastructure needed to facilitate these referrals to resources, supporting research into best practices for caring for these populations, and investing in community-based organization capacity. Policy action is needed to address the underlying drivers of homelessness, including a dearth of affordable housing, while also addressing the short-term need for safe shelter now. In this position paper, the American College of Physicians (ACP) recognizes the need to address universal access to housing to fulfill one's right to health. ACP offers several recommendations to prevent homelessness and promote the necessary health care and social needs of unhoused populations.

Living with vulnerability: Triple burden through the eyes of urban slum women in Bangladesh

The urban residents who live in slums in Bangladesh are a marginalized group who live below the poverty line and are frequently deprived of standard livelihood amenities. The primary source of income of urban slum women is limited to a few options such as working in the garment industry, temporary domestic assistant (chuta bua), beggar, cleaner, street hawkers, brick-breaking in construction work, prostitution, etc., which are incredibly low-status and poorly paid work. They are excluded from mainstream society and thus are deprived of fundamental human rights such as nutrition, safe shelter, education, health services, electricity, healthy careers, and lifestyle. Unlike others, they lead highly miserable lives due to poverty, lack of capital, social negligence, stigma, crime, and violence. Additionally, their traditional roles, such as reproductive and productive works and community activities, force them to bear extra burdens. These roles became their utmost burden during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. On the one hand, they provide sufficient time, energy, and dedication to fulfill their responsibilities. On the other hand, they are highly undervalued in society. Therefore, this endeavor has focused on urban slum women who are marginalized and stigmatized by stereotypical patriarchal social structures. For that reason, 80 women from different occupations and age groups who live in various slums in Dhaka megacity were chosen as the sample. This study explains their triple burden by deconstructing their experiences through intensive research.

Assessment of orofacial nociceptive behaviors of mice with the sheltering tube method: Oxaliplatin-induced mechanical and cold allodynia in orofacial regions.

Preclinical studies on pathological pain rely on the von Frey test to examine changes in mechanical thresholds and the acetone spray test to determine alterations in cold sensitivity in rodents. These tests are typically conducted on rodent hindpaws, where animals with pathological pain show reliable nocifensive responses to von Frey filaments and acetone drops applied to the hindpaws. Pathological pain in orofacial regions is also an important clinical problem and has been investigated with rodents. However, performing the von Frey and acetone spray tests in the orofacial region has been challenging, largely due to the high mobility of the head of testing animals. To solve this problem, we implemented a sheltering tube method to assess orofacial nociception in mice. In experiments, mice were sheltered in elevated tubes, where they were well accommodated because the tubes provided safe shelters for mice. Examiners could reliably apply mechanical stimuli with von Frey filament, cold stimuli with acetone spray, and light stimuli with a laser beam to the orofacial regions. We validated this method in Nav1.8-ChR2 mice treated with oxaliplatin that induced peripheral neuropathy. Using the von Frey test, orofacial response frequencies and nociceptive response scores were significantly increased in Nav1.8-ChR2 mice treated with oxaliplatin. In the acetone spray test, the duration of orofacial responses was significantly prolonged in oxaliplatin-treated mice. The response frequencies to laser light stimulation were significantly increased in Nav1.8-ChR2 mice treated with oxaliplatin. Our sheltering tube method allows us to reliably perform the von Frey, acetone spray, and optogenetic tests in orofacial regions to investigate orofacial pain.

Integrating sustainable and energy-resilient strategies into emergency shelter design

Energy access and use is a cross-cutting issue in humanitarian action. Nevertheless, there is no cohesive and integrated approach amongst different clusters of actions in achieving sustainability and energy resilience for emergency shelters. This study aims to explore how to integrate sustainable and energy-resilient strategies into emergency shelter design. Taking the “Quantifying Sustainability in the Aftermath of Natural Disasters” (QSAND) tool as a guiding principle, a system of modular emergency shelter prototype, entitled “Bag Box Building Cloud’ (BBBC)”, was designed and constructed. To identify the needs of the affected population and humanitarian workers, gap and need analysis were conducted through a global market review, while site surveys and stakeholder interviews were conducted in post-disaster areas in China. Key stakeholders were involved from the early design stage through implementation. This is the first research in action to contextualize the implementation of QSAND and SDGs while meeting local environmental/socio-cultural/regulatory requirements. The prototype is the first solar-powered, reusable, versatile, safe, affordable, and energy-efficient emergency shelter integrating passive design, energy storage, and combined DC/AC power system. Achieving this requires context-specific knowledge, early stakeholder engagement, careful adaptation and a holistic approach with a wide range of technical and social considerations in the design stage.

Documenting the Lived Experience of Disadvantage in Tasmania

This article discusses how government and community records in the Tasmanian ­Archives provide evidence of how well Tasmanians have met their need for safe shelter. It provides a brief overview of the structures that have guided the development of the Tasmanian Archives collection – how decisions have been made regarding what to add, or exclude, from the collection. It also investigates if records of housing and housing access have been prioritised for long-term retention, and if not, why? The role of case files as key records of lived experience is discussed, with the aim of sparking discourse on the strengths and weaknesses of archival collections as they record disadvantage and the lived experience of Australians. This article is based upon a presentation given by the author at the 2022 Australian Memory of the World Documenting Australian Society Seminar in Canberra.

Performance Improvement Using ICIC for UAV-Assisted Public Safety Networks with Clustered Users during Emergency

The application of drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles deployed as unmanned aerial base stations (UABSs), has received extensive interest for public safety communications (PSC) to fill the coverage gaps and establish ubiquitous connectivity. In this article, we design a PSC LTE-Advanced air–ground-based HetNet (AG-HetNet) that is a scenario representation of a geographical area during and after a disaster. As part of the AG-HetNet infrastructure, we have UABSs and ground user equipment (GUE) flocking together in clusters at safe places or evacuation shelters. AG-HetNet uses cell range expansion (CRE), intercell interference coordination (ICIC), and 3D beamforming techniques to ensure ubiquitous connectivity. Through system-level simulations and using a brute-force technique, we evaluate the performance of the AG-HetNet in terms of fifth-percentile spectral efficiency (5pSE) and coverage probability. We compare system-wide 5pSE and coverage probability when UABSs are deployed on a hexagonal grid and for different clustering distributions of GUEs. The results show that reduced power subframes (FeICIC) defined in 3GPP Release-11 can provide practical gains in 5pSE and coverage probability than the 3GPP Release-10 with almost blank subframes (eICIC).

Mahesh Foundation – care for the uncared

Learning outcomes The learning outcomes of this case study are to identify the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in social upliftment of developing countries, understand the functioning of NGOs, understand the challenges faced by the NGOs in day-to-day operations and discuss the probable solutions for the same, appreciate the role of leader and leadership in an NGO, study the working style of NGO leaders, appreciate the importance of having a formal organizational structure for these informal organizations (NGOs) to ensure the sustainability of their ventures and design a sustainable organization structure having a proper succession plan for the NGOs. Case overview/synopsis The case study is about one NGO – Mahesh Foundation – located in a small town named Belagavi, nestled in the state of Karnataka, India. Mahesh Foundation worked towards the upliftment of poor children infected with HIV. Today, fighting against all odds, Mahesh Foundation is a safe shelter home for 45 HIV-infected children in the age group of 6–18 years and has reached more than 2,000 beneficiaries from the time of its inception (2008). In addition, Mahesh Foundation also provides skill-based education to the HIV-infected, slum and underprivileged children. The foundation also supported the livelihood of underprivileged women and till date has supported more than 1,500 needy women. Mr Mahesh Jadhav, the founder member of Mahesh Foundation, has been successful in overcoming different challenges faced by the NGO, may it be the requirement for funds or shelters or social agitation. However, Jadhav was worried about the succession planning of his organisation. Mahesh Foundation, being run as a one-man show, Jadhav was bothered about its sustainability after him. The case study therefore highlights and discusses the importance of having a formal organization structure for such informal organizations, thereby having a proper succession plan to ensure their perpetual existence. Complexity academic level This case study is best taught as part of a graduate and postgraduate Business Administration (BBA/MBA) programme, Management Development Programme or Executive MBA Programme. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

Behavioural responses to temporal variations of human presence: Insights from an urban adapter

AbstractHuman‐dominated environments are growing worldwide, forcing animals to adapt to new conditions characterized by increased risks and/or anthropogenic resources availability. While numerous studies have compared behavioural patterns of rural and urban populations, little is known about plastic behavioural responses to temporal variations in human presence. We modelled the behaviour‐specific resource selection of 15 wild boars (Sus scrofa) GPS‐tracked between 2017 and 2019 in a tourist area in Italy characterized by high seasonal variability of human presence. By means of activity sensor data, we differentiated between two behavioural states with different ecological needs: resting (safe shelter) and activity (food intake). We investigated the variability of selection/avoidance of infrastructures and beaches, across seasons and behavioural states. We expected human‐built landscape features to be avoided for resting and selected for activity, with a strength proportional to the seasonal level of human presence. Instead, wild boars selected locations near infrastructures and away from beaches, both for resting and while being active. We showed that the similarity of behavioural patterns exhibited during the resting and active phases was accountable to the wild boar activities being spatially constrained by the proximity with their previous resting location. As expected, the selection for infrastructure proximity and avoidance of beaches peaked in summer (maximum human presence) and was negligible in winter (least human presence), showing that a variable human presence elicits intra‐individual plastic responses in animal populations. Our results suggest the behavioural flexibility of wild boars as a key factor enabling them to rapidly colonize human‐dominated environments.

Impacts of the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis on Caring for Sex-Trafficked Persons.

Sex trafficking of persons, a pervasive public health issue disproportionately affecting the most marginalized within society, often leads to health as well as social consequences. Social service provision to meet the resulting needs is critical, however, little is known about the current pandemic's impact on providers' capacity to deliver requisite care. To examine social service providers' perspectives of care provision for domestically sex-trafficked persons in Ontario, Canada, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 providers and analyzed these using Braun and Clarke's analytic framework. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on social service care provision were connected to individuals' increased vulnerability to trafficking, difficulties safely and effectively providing services to sex-trafficked persons amid pandemic restrictions, and reduction in in-person educational activities to improve providers' capacity to serve this client population. Securing safe shelter was particularly difficult and inappropriate placements could at times lead to further trafficking. The pandemic created novel barriers to supporting sex-trafficked persons; managing these sometimes led to new and complex issues. Future efforts should focus on developing constructive strategies to support sex-trafficked persons' unique needs during public health crises.

Architectural Design Criteria Considering the Circular Economy and Buildability for Smart Disaster Relief Shelter Prototyping

The frequency of natural disasters is exacerbated by the escalating impacts of climate change with the need for effective relief shelters for victims and displaced individuals. Providing accessible and easy-to-assemble relief shelters is essential in addressing these needs. Due to climate-related challenges and the need for sustainable solutions, the integration of circularity principles in shelter design has become imperative. Circular economy principles promote the efficient use of resources, minimising waste generation and the cost of shelters. Moreover, a considerable number of people usually suffer from homelessness, and an increasing number of families live in slums in every part of the globe. All such people are entitled to be housed in affordable, safe, and appropriate shelters for at least several months after a disaster until they can either rebuild their former houses or find somewhere decent to settle after recovering from the hardship. With the aim of investigating the immediate housing needs of people after a disaster, this paper identifies the essential factors that must be taken into account during shelter design. The paper also presents the prototype developed on the basis of theoretical criteria and the identified factors. The paper’s main objectives were to design an easy-to-assemble emergency shelter on circular economy principles, identify critical factors for the circularity and buildability of the shelter, and present a proposed smart shelter acceptance model. The methodology behind the research involves conducting an intensive literature review and creating a novel prototype of a smart disaster relief shelter on the basis of long-run laboratory work and various prototype iterations. The paper presents the details of the novel prototype and shows materials that enhance the circularity of the shelter, according to a unique architectural design strategy of ‘reusing’ materials to enhance circularity practice in the design and construction sectors. The prototype was developed in a workshop after 6 months of reiterations using plastic water bottles, basic pipes, and other reusable materials. Then, by incorporating the essential factors, a set of criteria was designed that can be used as a guide for the architectural design of shelters. The criteria offered in this paper are useful to evaluate each factor’s importance in shelter design. In total, 51 effective factors in designing and constructing such accommodation are presented, clustered into five design strategy groups: social–cultural, physical–technical, environmental, economic, and organisational.

The Danube Delta: The Achilles Heel of Danube River–Danube Delta–Black Sea Region Fish Diversity under a Black Sea Impact Scenario Due to Sea Level Rise—A Prospective Review

The Danube Delta is one of Earth’s biodiversity hotspots and includes many endemic, rare, and important species of both major conservation and economic value. This unique complex of ecosystems also plays a key role for Danube River and Black Sea fish fauna through its role as a natural safe buffer, shelter, feeding, reproduction, and smooth transitional area for a large number of fish species. Climate change is inducing a progressive sea level rise in the Black Sea, a fact that is expected to impact the delta’s key complex and dynamic habitats, biocoenoses, and associated biota, and last but not least the key taxonomic group, namely, fish. Around one-third of the fish species of this delta will be greatly affected, sometimes negatively, by this climate change scenario, another one-third to a lesser extent, and the final one-third not at all. The ecological positive feedback of fish can stimulate environmental change and is expected to be responsible for changes within Danube Delta ecosystems, and also for the near Danube River and Black Sea diverse matrix of aquatic and semi-aquatic ecosystems. Sea level rise in the Black Sea is considered to have been one of the main stress factors of the Danube Delta fish fauna in the past, and is likely to be the case in the future. In this spatio-temporal dynamic context, for the fish species under threat and risk, in situ-adapted management measures are highly required. The current work brings for the first time such a prospective knowledge about the potential impact on Danube River–Danube Delta–Black Sea coast fish diversity in the potential climate change–sea level rise scenario.

GD05 ‘Ghosts’: changing perceptions of people with albinism in Tanzania

Abstract Albinism, derived from the Latin word albus meaning white, is a rare genetic condition characterized by an absence of melanin leading to an individual having pale skin, eyes and hair. It is believed that Tanzania has the highest rate of albinism in Africa with the autosomal recessive gene being carried by one in 19 Tanzanians and the condition impacting one in 1400 people (Cruz-Inigo AE, Ladizinski B, Sethi A. Albinism in Africa: stigma, slaughter and awareness campaigns. Dermatol Clin 2011; 29:79–87). We aim to analyse the perception of individuals with albinism in Tanzania and strive to consider the future of those with albinism and reflect on the work being done. A recurring theme throughout the literature is the fact that those living with albinism in Tanzania are often shrouded in mysticism, stigma and violence. Referred to as ‘ghosts’, they are often on the fringes of society, ostracised by their communities and labelled as having supernatural powers. It is this superstition that has led to the brutal attack and murder of members of the disenfranchised albino population in Tanzania with the belief that their body parts, which can be sold for as high as $75 000, bring luck, as well as possessing powers. It is only in recent times that attention has been brought to their plight and work has begun to unravel these deeply entrenched beliefs. The United Nations (UN)-sanctioned International Albinism Awareness Day is on 13 June and aims to shed a light on the work being done to support people living with albinism globally. In 2013, the UN Human Rights Council adopted legislation to prevent violence against people with albinism, as well as a 2015 Mandate of an Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism. A lot of work is being done on the ground by charitable organizations to empower people living with albinism in Tanzania through education and provision of safe shelter and resources. The role of dermatologists in the support of people with albinism in Tanzania cannot be ignored. Owing to decreased melanin levels in those with albinism, there is an increased risk of skin cancer due to a lack of protection against ultraviolent radiation. Dermatologists can play a crucial role, as part of a multidisciplinary team, in providing skin cancer prevention education, as well as providing education to reduce stigma against those living with albinism (McBride SR, Leppard BJ. Attitudes and beliefs of an albino population towards sun avoidance: advice and services provided by an outreach albino clinic in Tanzania. Arch Dermatol 2002; 138:629–32).

A dynamic emergency planning system for relocating vulnerable people to safe shelters in response to heat waves

A significant proportion of the world's population is ageing. As a result, numerous authorities and governments are formulating strategies to improve their citizens' services. Nevertheless, climate change and natural hazards have revealed the need for additional emergency plans tailored to the needs of the elderly. While recent studies have focused on certain types of disasters, such as floods and earthquakes, heat waves have not received as adequate attention in disaster response research. Using a model of emergency response developed in this study, we propose a dynamic optimization method to facilitate the rapid relocation of vulnerable people to designated shelters in order to minimize their exposure to heat waves. The proposed model views the problem as a dynamic evacuation planning in which requests for assistance from the emergency centre are received after the collection of people from their homes has begun. Subsequently, using some efficient optimisation methods, the strategy gets updated on a regular basis. The proposed model is evaluated using a case study that takes into account a randomly generated set of locations and relocation request in a local government area in Sydney, Australia. Results indicate that the proposed method is capable of generating acceptable response plans for relocating elderly individuals in the shortest possible time during actual emergencies induced by heat waves. In terms of emergency preparation, administration, and policy, this study's findings have implications for countries with urban areas that are particularly vulnerable to climate change effects.

Nexus between climate change and environmental social work in Africa

Disasters indiscriminately cause huge global economic losses worth tens of billions of dollars and often result in deaths of millions of people annually. As such, the on-going climate change is the world’s biggest disaster, especially for the most vulnerable African countries that are less economically developed, dependent largely on primary industries, which are predominantly reliant on climate-controlled ecosystems as well as depend on rain-fed agro-based livelihoods characterised by abject poverty. Meanwhile, the social work profession caters for individuals, groups, and communities in responding to fast onset disasters affecting especially the marginalised, poor, and vulnerable. However, social work practice (SWP) seems to be more preoccupied with the outcomes of fast-onset disasters specifically centred on identifying beneficiaries in a bid to provide food relief, social safety nets, safe shelters, and providing psycho-social support to victims and survivors of these disasters than slow onset ones. The SWP seems to be silent about climate change despite corroborated scientific models confirming the increased frequency, magnitude, and severity of future tropical cyclones, floods, and droughts in the future. However, being more curative rather than preventive, contemporary SWP responds primarily to present crises whilst ignoring more serious future disasters. To connect SWP to climate change discourse, a literature review of previous sources of authority was utilised.
 How to reference using ASWNet style:
 Pedzisai E, Charamba S. and Mukurazhizha R. (2023). Nexus between climate change and environmental social work in Africa. African Journal of Social Work, 13(2), 87-99. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v13i2.5
 Visit journal website: https://ajsw.africasocialwork.net