Emergencies and Older Persons

Emergencies, whether caused by conflict or natural disaster (e.g., cyclones, tornados, hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, chemical spills or climate change-induced drought, famine, rainfall variation and shrinkage of water supplies), lead to catastrophic suffering, misery and humanitarian crises and invariably threaten rights to equal protection under international human rights and humanitarian law either as a result of human right violations associated with the emergencies themselves and the associated response or exacerbation of human rights problems that already existed before the emergency situation emerged.  In addition to the issues under international humanitarian and human rights laws, attention must be paid to the practical aspects of international responses to emergencies, which remain largely ad hoc and subject to political considerations that often override the need for compassion for innocent human beings.  All victims of emergencies are at risk, but older adults are typically the least prepared; have the highest rate of disaster-related deaths; and are more at risk during all phases of a disaster due to sensory deficits and preexisting mental and physical incapacities, from life-threatening challenges during evacuation to negative psychological consequences during the recovery period.  Current international human rights instruments do not specifically address the issues of ageing and therefore preclude older persons from the full enjoyment of their human rights, particularly in emergency situations, and older persons must cope with serious threats to their rights to housing, social security, work, and health during emergencies as well as the heightened risk of violence, maltreatment, and abuse.  This book discusses the unique characteristics and needs of older persons that need to be taken into account when preparing for emergencies and designing and executing emergency response and recovery plans and includes chapters on specific types of emergency situations including the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and climate change.