Database • Plan International - Girls' Rights Platform - Girls' rights are human rights: Positioning girls at the heart of the international agenda

Participation in the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation 2014, para. 77

Paragraph text: Responding to emergencies poses particular challenges for participation. There is often a concern that States and humanitarian actors need to be able to act quickly and that participatory processes would slow down responses. However, many decisions on disaster response are taken beforehand, and participation is essential at the planning stage. Moreover, in many instances emergency responses develop into more long-term programmes. In relation to menstrual hygiene management during an emergency, for instance, a solution might be to include a standard response for distributing sanitary kits to make sure that immediate needs are met on the basis of cultural preferences as far as they are known, or assumed. This response should be monitored subsequently to assess whether it meets women's and girls' needs, and then adjusted accordingly. The need for a rapid response should not be used as an excuse to pre-empt participation. What is needed instead, in particular given the wide range of actors involved in this context, is a broader discussion on how participation can be ensured in cases of emergencies and provision of humanitarian assistance through participatory planning in advance, as well as in monitoring and adjusting emergency responses. The standards contained in The Sphere Handbook recognize that participation by people affected by disaster is integral to humanitarian response.

Body: Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation

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Person(s) affected

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Paragraph text: In humanitarian situations, including in times of conflict or natural disaster, when water and sanitation sources are at a minimum, the specific needs of women and girls are often not taken into account. It is vital to better understand and share experiences about the kinds of responses that can be deployed across the diverse range of emergencies, including the most adequate and effective adaptations and interventions. It further requires an integrated approach and ongoing coordination among all sectors concerned. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming people face additional challenges in areas affected by disaster. A recent United Nations assessment found that, in Europe, women and girls who are refugees are vulnerable to violence and lack services that specifically meet their needs, such as private bathing and sanitation facilities. Some women have reported having stopped eating or drinking to avoid going to the toilet where they felt unsafe. The reaction of Governments and others to these situations is considered inadequate and there is an emphasis on the urgent need to scale up such response efforts.

Body: Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation

Topic(s)

Person(s) affected

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