...is to understand a few of the issues that plague Haiti, how to examine carefully how architecture can help with the devastation of Haiti and prevent the next disaster from being so costly in history, property and lives. Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas. It has a per capita income of $790. To give an idea of what that is in relation to other countries are considered poor: Mexico, $10,212; Jamaica, $8,737; Dominica, $5,082; and Cuba, a country that still has a commercial embargo against it, $4,819. So, even to countries in the Americas that we commonly consider to be poor are much better off than Haiti. It is estimated that 80% of the population lives in poverty. Most Haitians are living on $2 a day or less. Illiteracy in Haiti is at a staggering 50%, and 80% of the college graduates of Haiti have emigrated to the United States, fostering a society that if you have a chance to make a life for yourself, you leave Haiti. The picture is easy to paint, and the problem is just as easy to understand. A condition of extreme poverty and a natural disaster strikes, the ability to be able to overcome such a disaster is not as easy as it could be if a disaster strikes the developed world. Why the outpouring of support? When you look at the lifespan of a natural disaster, you look at a few of the components that make it an unpredicted disaster. But, when you look at the recovery efforts and support given, you look at how it most directly affects Americans. January...
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...Economic Systems: Which is the Best and How is the Public Effected by the Cost Intro into Business and Technology DeVry University Economic Systems: Which is the Best and How is the Public Effected by the Cost In our textbook, Bovee and Thill (2012) define economics as the study of how a society uses it scarce resources to produce and distribute goods and services. Within economics, you can find economic systems and how they work for society. A variety of economic systems exist around the world. Each system is defined by the policies of a particular society’s structure. The best system for a society is based upon the necessary core principles that fulfill the needs of said society. The three major systems are communism, socialism, and capitalism. So let’s answer three questions about economics and its systems. Which economic system is best suited for handling a crisis of epic proportions and why? Why might a socialist system be the best in responding to the needs of people struck by an emergency situation? Why is the cost to heat our homes and businesses higher in the winter season? Socialism is arguably the best suited economic system for handling a crisis of epic proportions such as a hurricane, flood, blizzard, etc. Socialism can be defined as an economic system consisting of socially owned production used for the needs of the society’s citizens and does not include generating profits. It is true that all economic systems have their strengths and weakness relating...
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...to supply food, shelter, water and various other resources. The EU, for example donated over $600 million towards disaster relief to the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka. The UN and NATO are heavily involved in peacekeeping operations. Security and peace though- out the world is one of the main goals for the international institutions. The UN currently has 16 peacekeeping missions active. In countries such as Sudan and Cyprus. And NATO is involved in three countries, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. Reconstruction provides humanitarian aid to the rebuilding of the country/ region. It’s to give post reconstruction of a country which has been damaged by conflict or natural disasters. The EU, UN and NATO were involved in the reconstruction of Haiti, hurricane Katrina and the Pakistan earthquake in 2005. The organisations provide support and assistance to asylum seekers and refugees. The UN provides this support though the office of United Nations high commissioner for the refugees. This may include military assistance for the public which have been affected by any conflict or disaster. If they’ve been separated from their home or family. Also to provide shelter and water. The European Convention of Human Rights The ECHR was...
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...Discuss the view that the impact of earthquakes depends primarily on human factors: Earthquakes are caused by movement of tectonic plates that covering the earth’s surface. They occur at all plate boundaries; destructive, constructive and conservative, but the most intense tend to occur at subduction zones and conservative faults, such as the San Andres Fault in California. Every seismic event will be unique, and there are many factors influencing the extent to which it will have an impact on the environment and the populace. In many situations, both physical factors, related to the nature of the event and the topography of the area, and human factors, linked to demography and land use, have an influence on the effects of a hazard. When evaluating the impacts of an earthquake, the demography of an area will almost certainly have a large influence. Clearly, a very densely populated area will be more likely to have a higher death toll or a wider radius of influence than an event occurring in a more sparsely populated area, due to the simple fact that there are more people in the same amount of space to be affected. However it is not just this statistical fact that leads to a more people being affected. In many LEDC’s, the highest population density occurs in slum areas and shanty towns. The people living in these areas are ill equipped to cope with the effects of an earthquake due to a combination of factors, mostly centred around the conditions in which they live. The same is true...
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...public health issues for natural disasters Abstract Haiti’s January 2010 earthquake left in its wake large piles of debris and waste materials. These wastes posed a risk to public health and obstructed reconstruction efforts. Determining the best way to manage disaster waste is high priority in natural disasters, yet it has often been managed in an ad-hoc manner during the early recovery phase. Large-scale disasters such as Haiti’s earthquake provide valuable lessons for addressing public health issues faced in the wake of earthquakes. This paper will discuss the Haiti situation, the challenges encountered for public health and the possible strategies that can be used for effective waste management. Waste Management Strategies that could pave the way for safe and effective waste management for future natural disasters - earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and floods. Introduction “Disasters and conflicts can generate large quantities of solid and liquid waste that threaten public health, hinder reconstruction and impact the environment”. [1] This waste generated by the disaster poses a serious public health risk for the population and for emergency response teams. In the wake of earthquakes, these risks come from a number of areas; direct contact with disposed accumulated waste in the streets, medical waste, hazardous wastes from chemicals, pesticides, oils and solvents and indirect risks from contact with flies, rodents and the...
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...One Step Closer to the End of Poverty Every day deaths are caused by some type of disaster all over the world. Some disasters can be prevented, like warfare and poverty, whereas other disasters can come without warning, such as natural disasters. When countries are suffering from poverty or are shaken up by something such as an earthquake or hurricane, they look towards American Humanitarians and our government to lend them a hand. Newspapers constantly talk about countries pleading for help: "We have the resources, we have the know-how to end extreme poverty” (Stossel, Patrick McMenamin 42). And it is true. Our government does provide money and resources to these countries that are begging for help, but not enough. Our country provides more money to aid countries in their civil wars than it does to provide foreign aid for countries that desperately need help. Most aid is intended to be spent as investment projects in particular areas of need such as supplying medicine and water to Third World countries, and rebuilding new roads and homes for countries that are destroyed by natural disasters. The main problem, as most experts put it, is that “aid is substitutable and what the money is supposed to be used for is spent on something else” (Rieff 225). Warfare should be the last thing our government should be focusing on with disasters such as Haiti’s earthquake and with so many deaths from diseases caused by poverty. To help reduce poverty in the world, American...
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...Amazon.com whose goals are more profit oriented. American Red Cross: Clarissa Harlowe Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881. A true pioneer, Clara risked her life to bring supplies and support to soldiers during the Civil War. Her understanding of the needs of people in distress and the ways that she could provide for them guided her through this journey. The American Red Cross charter states that is a non-profit, charitable, tax exempt organization. It’s seven fundamental principals are: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality. The mission is the provide relief to victims of disasters and to help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The American Red Cross has responded to thousands of natural disasters. When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, the American Red Cross was one of the organizations that responded quickly with food, water, and clothing for the thousands of people at the Louisiana Superdome. Without these types of organizations to help when disasters happen, the economy would be in serious trouble. The American Red Cross offers aid to victims all over the world. Another important function of the American Red Cross is it’s life share blood centers. It obtains nearly half of all the blood donated in America today. Clara Barton’s business principals are simple: integrity, honesty and commitment to helping others. She founded the American Red Cross because she saw...
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...Joseph Masiello Mr. Gianfrancesco Honors English AP/EEP 9 February 2016 Lifesaving Relief Groups Natural disasters are unpredictable threats of nature, wreaking havoc upon nations worldwide. Some, though not as strong as others can create immense amounts of damage to cities and property. Hurricanes, tornadoes, landslides, earthquakes, or even tsunamis have the potential to tear through anything in the path of destruction. These terrors of nature can happen anywhere, but where they may occur the damages could be a lot harder to recover from. Third world countries suffer tremendous casualties and destruction, without the money or even first aid to help those in need. A prime example of disaster in a third world country would be the, large magnitude earthquake in Haiti where unstable buildings and unawareness took the lives of copious people. After the quakes many suffered from injury and needed medical attention, however the nation could not supply these medical needs. However, there are organizations such as the American Red Cross and Project cure that provide the much needed supplies that are critical to help save lives. Supplying a wide variety of life saving essentials, these disaster relief specialists, receive most supplies form fundraising events. Gathering supplies needed from simple donations such as Band-Aids and Neosporin can go a long way to help these nations while recovering from such destruction. With disaster relief teams such as the American Red Cross, and...
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...For instance, “Two separate acts of violence in El Salvador had shocked the church in 1980” (Hocker 1). At “that time, the U.S. government sent military assistance to the Salvadoran regime to fight insurgency by the communist movement” (Hocker 1). Now, citizens in this country can live their regular daily lives. In addition, America’s military presence has been used to help foreign citizens recover from natural disasters overseas. For example, “some of the past disaster response efforts with which the U.S. military has assisted include the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia; 2005 earthquake and 2010 flooding in Pakistan; and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti” (“The U.S.”). These individuals are not only protected, but also influenced to continue enjoying life. Although there are many arguments for America’s military presence in foreign nations, there are also many arguments against it. The most common is that soldiers’ lives are in danger. Some citizens believe that one’s life is nothing to gamble with regardless of the situation. Although this is true, whole countries of individuals are in danger. If a hero is willing to risk his or her life for the benefit of the world, then this opinion is put into a different perspective. It is now a question of whether a guaranteed death of millions is more important than a possible death of one human...
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...In the aftermath of any natural or unnatural disaster the government is looked upon to be the solution and provide the necessary aid and relief to get people back to pre-disaster homeostasis. But as all governments are, they have regulations that can prevent aid from being administered quickly and efficiently. However the free market system has the ability to respond to disasters quickly without much interference from government regulations and taxes. Take for example Wal-mart's efforts after the hurricane, they began collecting supplies and money for those affected by the storm. Since they are not a government controlled company they were able to begin sending aid as quickly as possible. The lack of a government leash also allowed funds to...
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...The mission statement simply states, that the American Red Cross, is a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement. It was created to provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The American Red Cross is a non profit organization founded in 1881 by Clara Barton to aid victims of fires, floods, and hurricanes. This charity, though they are congressionally chartered, does not receive federal funding. The main source of financial support is provided from the donations of many philanthropic organizations, people and corporations. Ninety-one cents from every dollar donated goes to humanitarian services and programs. Branches are located across the U.S. and internationally that provide relief to people suffering from the aftermath of disasters and war. Its human resources come predominately from volunteers willing to travel to disasters and offer assistance and to aid families searching for information on loved ones missing in time of disaster and abroad. “Today, in addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers compassionate services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; support and comfort for military members and their families; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs that promote health and...
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...IN CRISIS PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY By Jason Christopher Chan (RPO) Executive Summary In recent years, social media has exploded as a category of online discourse where people create content, share it, bookmark it and network at a prodigious rate. The five key characteristics of social media: collectivity; connectedness; completeness; clarity and collaboration lend itself to be used increasingly to support crisis management functions. This paper examines the various categories of social media tools to understand how they can be utilised to enhance analytical and response capabilities of organisations for crisis management. The paper identified four main social media functions: (1) information dissemination, (2) disaster planning and training, (3) collaborative problem solving and decision making, and (4) information gathering, which are then mapped onto the three crisis management phases of preparedness, response and recovery to describe how a range of social media tools may be used to enhance crisis communications. Case examples of international organisations and governments using social media for crisis management are shared. The paper proposes a framework to enhance government use of social media for crisis management that encompasses the need for a mandate, differentiated guidelines and three key capabilities to be developed. 1 Introduction 1. Crisis management is a critical organisational function that involves planning and dynamic incident response to...
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...Just Water Under The Bush? By: Janice Foster There is a term that old folks often say to refer to something that has taken place in the past that cannot be changed and therefore you just get over it. This is easier said than done especially if you are the living reminder of what cannot be changed. All of us have been affected by George w. Bush and his administration whether it is good or bad, directly or indirectly. There are some of us who have been affected in ways that you can only imagine. Sometimes even though something has taken place in the past it can have an important bearing on how you prepare for your future. For Katrina and 911 victims, the term may not be so easy to apply in their lives. The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. George W. Bush is the oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush was elected president in the 2000 general election, and became the second US president whose father had held the same office. Bush did not get into office without some scandal and controversy because On December 8, 2000, the Supreme Court of Florida ordered that the Circuit Court of Leon County tabulate by hand 9,000 ballots in Miami-Dade County. It also ordered the inclusion in the certified vote totals of 215 votes identified in Palm Beach County and 168 votes identified in Miami-Dade County for Vice President Albert Gore, Jr., and Senator Joseph Lieberman...
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...GENDER ASSESSMENT USAID/HAITI June, 2006 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DevTech Systems, Inc. GENDER ASSESSMENT FOR USAID/HAITI COUNTRY STRATEGY STATEMENT Author: Alexis Gardella DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. 2 Gender Assessment USAID/Haiti TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements Acronyms Executive Summary 5 6 7 1. GENDER DIFFERENTIATED DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS 1.1 Demographics 1.2 Maternal Mortality 1.3 Fertility 1.4 Contraceptive Use 1.5 HIV Infection 1.6 Education 1.7 Economic Growth 1.8 Labor 1.9 Agriculture and Rural Income 1.10 Rural and Urban Poverty 1.11 Environmental Degradation 9 10 11 12 2. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF GENDER IN HAITIAN SOCIETY 2.1 Status of Haitian Women 2.2 Haitian Social Structure: Rural 2.2.1 Community Level 2.2.2 Inter-Household Level 2.2.3 Intra-Household relations 2.2.4 Economic Division of Labor 2.3 Economic System 2.4 Urban Society 13 3. ONGOING USAID ACTIVITIES IN TERMS OF GENDER FACTORS OR GENDER-BASED CONSTRAINTS 3.1 Sustainable Increased Income for the Poor (521-001) 3.2 Healthier Families of Desired Size (521-003) 3.3 Increased Human Capacity (521-004) 3.4 Genuinely Inclusive Democratic Governance Attained (521-005) 3.5 Streamlined Government (521-006) 3.6 Tropical Storm Recovery Program...
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...during this project I wanted to find out its true meaning and how it affects the receiving country. This can be sent as a signal of diplomatic approach, or strengthen a military ally, to reward a government for behavior observed by the deemed to be deserved by the donor, it’s also to extend an already existent cultural influence & to provide much needed infrastructure. Obviously people have lots of individual reasons for sending aid to others less fortunate than themselves but two stick out these are “Humanitarianism” & also “Altruism”. Aid is so widespread that that it can be given by individuals, private organizations & governments. Depending on personal definitions of the term loans may be or not be counted as Aid. The History of Aid: Nobody can argue that aid has been present since time began. This was mainly from western countries to the rest of the world In the nineteenth & early twentieth century’s the amount of aid was minute in comparison to what it has become in today’s times, these consisted mostly of occasional humanitarian crisis relief. Aid became a major activity at the end of the Second World War, in the contexts of European reconstruction & decolonisation. Humanitarian Aid: This is rapid assistance given to people or another organisation in immediate distress to relieve suffering. This may be due to man-made or natural disasters such as the Haiti earthquake, the Sri Lankan tsunami & certain hurricanes in the United States. The provision of it consists of vital...
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