Human rights and dignity: Lessons from the Canterbury rebuild and recovery effort

Abstract

Unless the needs of vulnerable populations are addressed during all three phases of emergency response operations—preparation, the event, and recovery—members of these communities are likely to suffer disproportionate harm in disasters. Vulnerable groups may include disabled people, women, children, elderly persons, certain members of ethnic minorities, people with language barriers, and the impoverished. The existing normative frameworks, natural human rights laws and emergency response laws entitle vulnerable populations to some protection. However, the clear shortcomings of the current normative scheme(s) create uncertainty and highlight the need for greater clarity as to how to better protect human rights in disaster management and recovery. This chapter will analyse the New Zealand Government’s response to the September 2010 and February 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, and how their response affected the rights of the most vulnerable people in society. It considers the gaps in the Government’s response, identifies some good practice and explores opportunities to do things differently to enhance the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of communities.