Complex Humanitarian Emergency - Essay Example

Complex Humanitarian Emergency At the beginning of the semester, I thought that complex humanitarian emergency such as the Haiti or Chile earthquake is an event that requires immediate response from people who can perform caring actions to people they do not even recognize. This act is usually done by people who volunteered to join Red Cross ,World Vision or any association that acts upon disasters ( whether man made or natural).As the semester progressed, the class realized that not all disasters are equal nor can every disaster be qualified as complex humanitarian emergencies.

First of all, what makes an emergency complex is the fact that the solutions to such disasters are not that simple. Distributing food nor relief goods do not abate the hardship of the victims since there are other factors that act as obstacle sin giving humanitarian aid. One of the most pronounced factors would be political forces. When an underdeveloped country is hit by a disaster, the government might not be that organized in addressing the situation. There may be international donors willing to give vast amount of relief goods but the government is laden with bureaucracy and red tape thereby hindering the equitable distribution of resources.

It is also ironic to learn that corruption also happens even during times of crisis. Some officials would use the disaster to pursue their political agenda instead of merely helping victims. Some government officials would even hoard supplies for their local town which just violates the concept of impartiality in the Humanitarian Charter. During the case of typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines, there was a local official who used the pump boat to save his family first before taking care of his constituents.

Public service simply went out of the picture. An emergency also becomes complex in poor countries since the victims themselves already belong to the marginalized sector of society. Having no adequate nutrition, they are the first casualties who die of hunger when rescue efforts are delayed. More often than not, young children who are malnourished die quickly in evacuation centers. This is a sad reality considering that the right to adequate food according to humanitarian law includes the availability of food in sufficient quantity and its accessibility (The Sphere Project, 2004).

Housing is also a major issue that contributes to the complexity of emergencies. While people may be housed in an evacuation center, they are compressed together like sardines. The evacuation center is characterized by poor ventilation and poor sanitation. There is also inadequate supply of water for everyone. The implication can be felt when an epidemic breaks out since the majority of the evacuees are already afflicted by dysentery, cholera or respiratory diseases. Worse, after the issue has died down, the victims would be relocated to a remote area where is no livelihood waiting for them.

Hunger and poverty has set in permanently in their new lives after the disaster. This relocation certainly violates the section III, Principle 15 that indicates that they are entitled to assistance, food, and sanitation; moreover, the government should provide for these people. The issue drives the question: What quality of life does disaster victims receive from the government? Indeed, the issues behind the definition of complex humanitarian emergency are really complicated since it covers the socio-economic status of the victims as well as the soundness of political culture and administration in a country.

The saddest fact from these arguments is that millions of disaster victims are truly waiting for the right response to their situation.References:Section III, Principle 15, Internal Displacement. United Nations.The Sphere Project (2004) Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response, The Sphere Project.