Vulnerability to Disasters: a Humanitarian and Sustainable Perspective

Abstract

Disaster preparedness has been recognized as a central element for reducing the impact of these events in the world. Whether a disaster is natural, technological or man-made, when it encounters vulnerability conditions of a population, a disaster causes significant changes in the normal conditions. Hence, it interrupts human development and requires humanitarian action to mitigate the losses caused. This is why disaster risk management should be a priority in sustainable development plans, emphasizing overcoming existing vulnerability. From a humanitarian and sustainable perspective, this paper demonstrates the burden of social vulnerability on the risk profile which predisposes to disasters. It emphasizes the key role of involving local actors to stimulate the development of resilience, integrating social development into vulnerability reduction programs. Finally, it is demonstrated that disaster risk reduction is related to the systematic development and implementation of policies, strategies, and practices that minimize vulnerabilities, threats and impact propagation across society in the broader context of sustainable development.