Disasters and Vulnerable Groups

Year 2024, Volume: 12 Issue: 1, 13 - 30, 30.06.2024

Yasemin Arı Kovancı

https://doi.org/10.53586/susbid.1474653

Abstract

In almost every part of the world, different types of disasters and the difficulties caused by disasters are encountered. Disasters, which mostly take place all of a sudden, have the potential to bring about severe consequences in physical, social, economic, and psychological terms. Recently, the damage and losses of disasters have been increasing in parallel with the increase in frequency, severity, and duration. While disasters affect all parts of society deeply, they have far more severe impacts on vulnerable groups such as children, older people, women, and disabled people. It is vitally important to minimize the destructive effects of disasters in terms of the whole society, especially vulnerable groups. Within this context, the study aims to question the hardships revealed by disasters in terms of vulnerable groups and propose solutions for reducing their adverse effects on the mentioned groups. In the study, the literature scan method was utilized. Consequently, considering that the individuals in the society have different levels of vulnerability and capacity to cope in the event of disasters, the development and implementation of disaster managing strategies specific to vulnerable groups are seen to be crucial both for minimizing the damage these groups can get and for making the society resistant to disasters. Nevertheless, social assistance and social services that come to the forefront as the essential means of social policy during and after disasters must be secured to meet the necessities of vulnerable groups and enable them to sustain their lives.

Keywords

Disaster, vulnerable groups, vulnerability, resilience, social policy.

Afet ve Kırılgan Gruplar

Abstract

Dünyanın hemen her yerinde farklı türden afetler meydana gelmekte ve afetlerin yarattığı güçlüklerle karşı karşıya kalınmaktadır. Çoğu zaman beklenmedik bir anda gerçekleşen afetler, fiziksel, sosyal, ekonomik ve psikolojik açıdan ciddi sonuçlar doğurabilme potansiyeline sahiptir. Son yıllarda, afetlerin görülme sıklığı, şiddeti ve süresinin artmasına koşut olarak ortaya çıkardığı zarar ve kayıplar da artmaktadır. Afetler toplumun tüm kesimlerini derinden etkilemekle birlikte, çocuklar, yaşlılar, kadınlar, engelliler gibi kırılgan gruplar üzerinde çok daha ağır etkiler yaratmaktadır. Afetlerin kırılgan gruplar başta olmak üzere toplumun tümü açısından yıkıcı etkilerinin en aza indirilmesi hayati önem taşımaktadır. Bu bağlamda, çalışmanın amacı afetlerin kırılgan gruplar açısından ortaya çıkardığı güçlükleri sorgulamak ve söz konusu gruplar üzerindeki olumsuz etkilerinin azaltılmasına yönelik çözüm önerileri sunmaya çalışmaktır. Çalışmada literatür taraması yönteminden yararlanılmıştır. Sonuç olarak, afet durumlarında toplumdaki bireylerin farklı kırılganlık düzeyine ve başa çıkabilme kapasitesine sahip olabildiğinin dikkate alınması ve kırılgan gruplara özgü afet yönetim stratejilerinin geliştirilmesi ve uygulanmasının, hem bu grupların afetlerden görebileceği zararın en aza indirilmesi, hem de toplumun afetlere dirençli kılınması için elzem olduğu açıkça görülmektedir. Bununla birlikte, afet sırası ve sonrasında sosyal politikanın en önemli araçları olarak öne çıkan sosyal yardım ve sosyal hizmetlerin kırılgan grupların gereksinimlerini karşılayacak ve yaşamlarını idame ettirebilmelerini sağlayacak kapsamda olmasının güvence altına alınması önem taşımaktadır.

Keywords

Afet, kırılgan gruplar, kırılganlık, dirençlilik, sosyal politika.

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma için etik kurul izni gerekmemektedir.

Supporting Institution

Yok

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