Human Rights

Human Rights in Disaster and Development

Human rights in disaster response ultimately include all of the rights that people aspire to during normal periods of development. The presence of human rights means that people are able to better resist disaster events. Rights mitigate disaster because they represent more just access to social, economic, and environmental benefits. Where these basic tenets of sustainable development are compromised by a lack of basic human rights, people become more vulnerable, such as when rights are afforded to industry or trade at the expense of people-centered rights to a safe workplace, health, a sufficient wage, and a balanced environment. Where vulnerability increases, disaster risk does as well. This is a core component of what is commonly referred to as human security, which includes food and livelihood, health, environmental and other forms of entitlement, and security. Other interpretations clearly emphasize military and strictly regulated security issues, crime, and safety, particularly in terms of global threats. In the context of a wider set of rights, such as those advocated by the United Kingdom Human Rights Act of 2000 or the European Convention on Human Rights, they are comprehensive. This act and convention includes: right to life; prohibition of torture; right to a fair trial; right to respect for private and family life; freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; freedom of expression; freedom of assembly and association; right to marry; and the prohibition of discrimination. In practice, however, disasters change contexts, and what might be objective of development takes secondary importance during disaster. Decision making in disasters speeds up, and people with different skills and experiences get thrust together. In the quest to bring order to potential disorder, a system of command and control is normally applied. Directives are given, and the sensitivities of a broad-based approach to rights can be inadvertently compromised, particularly when working across different cultures and norms of day-to-day life. The subjectivity of what is or is not an appropriate action leads to issues of minimum standards in humanitarian relief.

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