Human Rights and Disasters

South Asia is a region greatly affected by disasters. While most of these are natural occurrences, several are a consequence of human actions and resource mismanagement.Disasters, including those resulting from natural hazards, have severe and long-lasting consequences for the affected persons. Certain individuals and communities - on account of their existing marginalisation and vulnerability - disproportionately suffer the impacts of disasters, both in the immediate aftermath and in the long-term recovery process. These include people living in high risk areas; those residing in inadequate housing conditions; homeless, landless, and internally displaced persons; minorities; historically discriminated communities, such as Dalits/members of Scheduled Castes; indigenous and tribal peoples/adivasis; women; children; persons with disabilities; and, older persons.

Experience has demonstrated, that as bad, if not worse than the disaster, is the prolonged suffering of survivors that results from inadequate protection, response, and rehabilitation. This is a consequence of acts of omission and commission on the part of both state and non-state actors. Human rights violations are exacerbated when relief and rehabilitation measures are not planned and executed from a human rights perspective; are not timely, adequate, and appropriate; and do not take into account the specific needs and concerns of women, children, and other marginalized and vulnerable groups within affected communities.