Durocher Evelyne, Chung Ryoa, Rochon Christiane, Hunt Matthew
J Hum Rights Pract. 2016 Jul;8(2):219-238. doi: 10.1093/jhuman/huw007. Epub 2016 May 9.
Vulnerability is a central concept in humanitarian aid. Discussions of vulnerability in disaster response literature and guidelines for humanitarian aid range from considerations of a universal human vulnerability, to more nuanced examinations of how particular characteristics render individuals more or less at risk. Despite its frequent use, there is a lack of clarity about how vulnerability is conceptualized and how it informs operational priorities in humanitarian assistance. Guided by interpretive description methodology, we draw on the feminist taxonomy of vulnerability presented by Mackenzie, Rogers and Dodds (2014) to examine perspectives of 24 expatriate and Haitian decision-makers and health professionals interviewed between May 2012 and March 2013. The analysis explores concepts of vulnerability and equity in relation to the humanitarian response following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Participants' conceptualizations of vulnerability included consideration for inherent vulnerabilities related to individual characteristics (e.g. being a woman or disabled) and situational vulnerabilities related to particular circumstances such as having less access to health care resources or basic necessities. Participants recognized that vulnerabilities could be exacerbated by socio-political structures but felt ill-equipped to address these. The use of the taxonomy and a set of questions inspired by Hurst's (2008) approach to identifying and reducing vulnerability can guide the analysis of varied sources of vulnerability and open discussions about how and by whom vulnerabilities should be addressed in humanitarian responses. More research is required to inform how humanitarian responders could balance addressing acute vulnerability with consideration of systemic and pre-existing circumstances that underlie much of the vulnerability experienced following an acute disaster.
脆弱性是人道主义援助中的核心概念。灾害应对文献及人道主义援助指南中对脆弱性的讨论范围广泛，从对普遍人类脆弱性的考量，到对特定特征如何使个人面临更多或更少风险的更细致分析。尽管其频繁被使用，但对于脆弱性如何被概念化以及它如何为人道主义援助中的行动优先级提供信息，仍缺乏清晰的认识。在诠释性描述方法的指导下，我们借鉴麦肯齐、罗杰斯和多兹（2014年）提出的女性主义脆弱性分类法，来审视2012年5月至2013年3月期间接受访谈的24位外籍及海地决策者和卫生专业人员的观点。该分析探讨了与2010年海地地震后的人道主义应对相关的脆弱性和平等概念。参与者对脆弱性的概念化包括对与个人特征相关的固有脆弱性（如身为女性或残疾）以及与特定情况相关的情境脆弱性的考量，例如获得医疗保健资源或基本必需品的机会较少。参与者认识到社会政治结构可能会加剧脆弱性，但感到无力应对这些问题。使用该分类法以及受赫斯特（2008年）识别和减少脆弱性方法启发的一系列问题，可以指导对各种脆弱性来源的分析，并开启关于在人道主义应对中如何以及由谁来应对脆弱性的讨论。需要更多研究来为以下问题提供信息，即人道主义救援人员如何在应对急性脆弱性与考虑导致急性灾害后所经历的许多脆弱性的系统性和预先存在的情况之间取得平衡。
