Researchers from Tulane University conducted a scoping literature review of the past 25 years to examine the barriers that historically marginalized populations in the United States experience in disaster recovery. The findings highlight a need for greater inclusion of these populations in disaster planning and recovery.
Climate change is fueling more frequent and extreme disasters, which disproportionately affect marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), Latine, limited English proficiency, differently abled and undocumented populations, the study said. Despite efforts to address equity and efficiency, disaster recovery programs can exacerbate social inequalities due to systemic biases rather than provide needed support.
The research question that guided the review, which was published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction in an August issue, focused on the obstacles that historically marginalized populations encounter when accessing disaster finances and resources. There were 108 articles analyzed, and the researchers said the review focused on programs that were government-sponsored.
In its findings, the researchers described the five overarching themes, for which there are also sub-themes, as follows: “(1) the process is confusing and difficult to navigate; (2) exclusion from, or lack of access to, political power and disaster processes; (3) discrimination barriers; and (4) issues in the funding aid ecosystem (e.g., system failure, operations failure, procedural failure); and (5) politicians and media having an inordinate amount of control over the flow of resources and recovery processes.”
The review raises important questions about how to ensure an equitable disaster recovery process that addresses the needs of all populations. The researchers suggest a multidisciplinary effort to realize solutions.
By Sara Merken