13 Dec 13.15-15.00 room 420

In this session, we will explore the relationship between human rights and disasters, especially those linked to natural hazards (such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and so on).

Some of the questions we will be addressing are:

How are human rights affected in disasters?
How are human rights protected in such situations?
Do states have human rights obligations already when preparing for disasters?
Do states have human rights obligations while responding to disasters?

Slides: HR and disasters.pdf

Reading:

Carmalt, J. and Dale, C. 2012. Human rights and disaster (Chapter 6). In: Wisner, B., Gaillard, J. C. & Kelman, I. (eds.) Handbook of Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction. London: Routledge. (e-Book available at GU library)

Bizzarri, Mariangela. "Protection of Vulnerable Groups in Natural and Man-Made Disasters." Chap. 16 In International Disaster Response Law, In: De Guttry, A., M. Gestri and G. Venturini (eds.). The Hague: T.M.C. Asser Press, 2012. (e-Book available at GU library)

Further suggested material:

Goodhart Ch 14, Human Rights and the Environment (cover related topics but not disasters and human rights as such)
Goodhart Ch 21, Human Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (same as above)
Venier, Silvia (2023), Human Rights and Disasters - The Role of Positive Obligations in Enhancing Protection, Elgar Publisher. (Introduction - Chapter 1 and Conclusion - Chapter 6. This is more advanced reaading, discussing states' positive human rights obligations in relation to disasters. Available as e-book at GU library)

See also:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dit14hu9_o

Prof. Ilan Kelman, ICRC/UCL presents what qualifies as a disaster.

Disasters: Deconstructed Podcast (choose one of the various episodes for an interdisciplinary take on the study of disasters). Example:

https://disastersdecon.podbean.com/e/s7e4-the-invention-of-disaster/

Podcast: BBC - What in the World- Tanzania floods: What’s it like to live through a landslide?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct67fc