Prepare for the Humanitarian Crisis

Question

TOPIC: Refugee/Humanitarian Emergency

Refugee > Defined by the 1951 Refugee Convention

 “someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin

owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race,

religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political

opinion. (Untied Nation High Commissioner for Refugee, 2020)

Humanitarian Emergency > “Is an event or series of events that represents a

critical threat to the health, safety, security or wellbeing of a community or other

large group of people, usually over a wide area” (Humanitarian Coalition, 2021). 

Types of Crises > Armed conflict, natural disasters, epidemics, famine, and other

major emergencies that leave individuals needing assistance with food, shelter,

water and health care (Humanitarian Coalition, 2021).

Natural Disaster--- earthquakes, Isunamis, floods, droughts, storms, cyclones, epidemics or plagues

Complex emergencies--- Combination of natural and man-made elements, such as food insecurity,

armed conflicts and displaced populations

Syrian refugees in Lebanon struggle to survive amid worst socio economic crisis in

decades” (Oct, 29th 2021)

 Worst financial crisis for Lebanon in history

 Power outages country wide (Choose between power, food, medicine and

education)

 60% live in dangerous overcrowded shelters

 Education attendance has dropped this last year (2021) by 25%

 Increased child labour, over 27,825 children working

(Dickson, 2021)

Top 5 Most Affected Countries

According to World Vision (Reid, 2021), the top 5 countries that account for the most refugees, and/ or

asylums seekers awaiting refugee status are: Syria 6.8m, Venezuela 5.4m, Afghanistan 2.8m, South

Sudan 2.2m, Myanmar 1.1m

Current Examples Of Humanitarian Crisis :

“Syrian refugees in Lebanon struggle to survive amid worst socio economic crisis in

decades” (Oct, 29th 2021)

 Worst financial crisis for Lebanon in history

 Power outages country wide (Choose between power, food, medicine and

education)

 60% live in dangerous overcrowded shelters

 Education attendance has dropped this last year (2021) by 25%

 Increased child labour, over 27,825 children working

(Dickson, 2021)

South Sudan in a Declared State of Emergency

 Remains one of the poorest, underdeveloped countries

 Persistent conflict, desert locust swarms, an economic crisis, recurrent flooding

and COVID-19 are increasing the risk of famine in 2021

 Severe shortage of healthcare services and professionals

 No access to clean water

 Spread of deadly diseases

 Women and girls are victims of violence and exploitation

(IRC, 2021)

What causes the emergence

What has caused Humanitarian Emergencies?

Relate to globalization/neoliberal polices/IMF/aids not fulfilled/global market competition/

diplomatic and political instability/hx of slavery and colonization.

Money/Poverty…..

 Lebanon (Lebanese currency has lost 85% of its value over a year and a half, and 90% of Syrian refugees

living in Lebanon experience extreme poverty, resorting to negative coping strategies that include begging,

avoiding education and healthcare costs, crime, and taking high-risk jobs. (UNHCR, 2021)

 Aid article for finance*** farmer 

War….

 Yemen (A civil war between Houthi rebels and the gov’t  beginning in 2015 has evolved into a proxy war

as a result of an aerial bombing campaigns between Saudi Arabia, Iran, and others.) (Speckhard, 2019)

 The Sahel → Burkina Faso, Mali, & Niger (half a million people displaced from homes and one third of the

country is considered a conflict zone due to the violent attacks fueled by sectarian and inter-ethinic

conflicts) (Speckhard, 2019)

 Iraq (Areal bombings in Mosul during 3 years of occupation ) (Speckhard, 2019)

Climate change → Hunger & Food Insecurity

 Central America (Drought ruined 70% of small-scale farms in the dry corridor of Nicaragua, Honduras, El

Salvador and Guatemala affecting up to 20% of coffee production/export) (Speckhard, 2019)

 Syria (Mass migration of rural farm populations migrating to urban centers who gov’t. infrastructure

couldn’t support after 2006-2010 drought) (Williams & Downes, 2017). 

Link to Globalization and Neoliberal Forces

 Globalization intensifies global economic and political insecurity. Developed

countries unquestionably possess power and liberty in influencing policies that

govern global decision-making and the marketplace; leaving under resourced

countries vulnerable to these policies and perpetual exploitation resulting in

power struggle and political tension/war. 

 Globalization and neo-liberal structures encourage competition in the global

market, thus facilitating the movement of systems and elements to larger

economic locations for profit purposes. Consequently, poor and vulnerable

countries suffer disproportionately due to market failures and economic

challenges. 

 Philanthro-capitalist organizations such as WTO, IMF, world bank, UN have

underlying neoliberal frameworks that further promote the incurring of debt in

vulnerable, economically unstable, low-income countries. 

 Wealthier countries place tighter immigration restrictions on countries

experiencing socio-economic crises. Consequently, increasing challenges in

escaping persecution or adversity in home country. 

 NGO’s and international aid organizations with neoliberal ideologies continue to

wield political and economic powers through the assumption of state functions,

and further dependency on these aids drives a fundamental shift in power

imbalances between these 2 entities. 

Implications for Global Health?

What are the implications for global health:

poverty/access to good healthcare/enacting on NGOs & perhaps absolve government of

responsibilities?

Health systems

Individual Health

Public Health

 What policy (national or international) responses could/should be introduced to effectively

respond to these health implications? 

(national/international) 

- Canadian Military involvement

Food and medical aid should not be blocked from entering crisis areas,

ADVOCATE for this policy with the UN to ensure aid reaches those in need.

Ensure and enforces international law against killing aid workers.

My part of the assignments :

Nursing Role – Upstream Approach

How could/ should individual nurse and/ or the nursing profession respond/

advocate/ lobby to improve this issues and effectively promote global health?

For example -Humanitarian Emergencies may be inevitable whether the issue is

war or a natural disaster. {pls use this sentence to write a paragraphs to answer the

above question}

The Upstream Goal: Prepare for the Humanitarian Crisis:

(Kindly explain below goals with examples)

 Prepare for natural disasters

 Collaborate with nurses around the world - International Council of Nurses

(ICN)

 Form global alliances to commit to caring for refugees 

 Nurses teaming up with NGOs

 Collaborate with medically training immigrant within that community,

empower them to help their own people.