The Consortium for People’s Development-Disaster Response (CPD-DR) urges the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) to reinforce the commitment of global leaders to humanitarian principles as well as compel them to uphold human rights. The current state of humanitarian action necessitates us to demand that the WHS be true to its core commitment to go beyond providing aid and instead work towards reducing vulnerability and increasing resiliency. The summit’s commitment to reducing gaps, preventing disaster and ending conflict demands vigilance and action. CPD-DR, having been working closely with disaster-stricken communities in the Philippines since the aftermath of super typhoon Haiyan, also urges for the weaknesses and inefficiencies of disaster response to be acknowledged in the upcoming World Humanitarian Summit. 14.1 million Filipinos suffered heavy damages during the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013. And yet, this degree of impact is only a manifestation of the long-standing vulnerability of the Philippines to typhoons heightened by the state’s incompetence in disaster response. In April of this year, around 6000 peasants and indigenous peoples united to demand food and aid from the local government. Protesting against state neglect of the 6 communities suffering from starvation and other dire effects of El Nino (drought) […]
