Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 – Disasters do not discriminate: people do

Disasters do not cause discrimination: they exacerbate it – and discrimination in an emergency setting can be life-threatening. The most marginalized and vulnerable risk not surviving the crisis or, if they do, they are then overlooked in plans to recover and regain their livelihoods.

Discrimination is best addressed in times of stability, but aid agencies and government agencies must also be made aware of the consequences and manifestations of discrimination during the heightened tensions brought about by emergency. Only then will minority groups, older people, persons with disabilities, and women and girls become a key factor in emergency planning, relief programmes and reconstruction efforts.

Chapter 2 – Overcoming multiple disasters: discriminating against minorities

There are minority groups in every society. They are marginalized to varying degrees due to nationality, race and traditional caste divisions, or simply due to the size of their population. Some, like indigenous or nomadic peoples, may have limited influence within local or national government. Others, like minority nationalities or those deemed to be from a lower caste, live in isolated areas, shunned by society. It is these people who risk being overlooked in an emergency while the needs of the majority take precedence. This is why international agencies need to expand their viewpoint when disaster strikes, to examine the specific and unique situation of all the people affected by it and to develop more flexible ways of assessing and meeting needs.

Chapter 3 – Older people and discrimination in crises

Few question why it is often the young and fit who join the queues for food and other essentials; they are there because they are young and fit, capable of taking the aid to their extended families. However, there is a pervasive and dangerous assumption that family ties and community structures will ensure that older people’s needs are met at times of emergency. Yet, for many older people, this is not always the case. The economic migration of their families, their deteriorating mobility and health, their lower productivity and the global community’s focus on the younger members of society – these are all realities that contribute to their invisibility when disaster strikes.

Chapter 4 – Disability and disasters: towards an inclusive approach

Persons with disabilities are frequently and systematically marginalized in everyday life. At times of emergency, this marginalization is heightened. Someone who is blind or deaf may not be aware of any evacuation plan; someone who is immobile may not be able to flee danger; someone with learning difficulties may find themselves pushed to the back of the queue for food. And it is the very disabilities that make them vulnerable that means they are more likely to be hidden – stigmatized by their families and communities. This is why the views of people with disabilities must be sought out, listened to and acted upon in disaster planning and response. This is possible only if they are accessible, and this means changing attitudes, opening minds, raising awareness and building inclusiveness.

Chapter 5 – The urgency of equality: ending discrimination against women and its consequences in emergency situations

Women and girls have long been the victims of discrimination in its many forms. It is these various layers of discrimination that put women in particular danger during times of emergency. Early warning systems may not take into account the fact that many girls are kept away from school and cannot read. Poor, single and elderly women, young girls and disabled girls are at greatest risk because they often have no protection from sexual and other forms of violence. Pregnant women may not have access to reproductive healthcare. Shelters may not keep them separate and safe. Their voices are often not heard and they are allowed no input in decision-making. This is why women need to be involved, empowered and enabled to challenge discrimination in all its forms.

Chapter 6 – Dealing with discrimination in disaster recovery

There are some positive steps humanitarian agencies can take to tackle discrimination. Initial assessments need to be inclusive and longer-term evaluations clearly defined and open. Representatives of all groups within affected communities should be involved in the recovery effort. The aid programme must be open and inclusive, and the views of the most disadvantaged sought out. These are just a few of the initiatives that will help to protect the most vulnerable people. But most important of all is to promote increased knowledge and understanding of what discrimination is, how and why it takes place and who is likely to be affected. The whole emergency programme cycle can then be adjusted and the needs of those at greatest risk prioritized.

Posted December 19, 2007