1.2.1. Social Vulnerability

We define vulnerability as the condition determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or processes which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazard.

Vulnerability refers to how likely a community is to suffer from the effects of a hazard. This susceptibility is influenced by various factors — physical (like building quality), social (like community support), economic (like income levels), and environmental (like location of the community). Essentially, vulnerability outlines why some communities are more affected by disasters than others.

Imagine a small village located near a river. If the village has strong houses and good community support, they are less vulnerable to floods than a nearby village with weak houses and little social cohesion. Thus, vulnerability is like a safety net — the more threads you have woven together (support systems), the safer you are from falling into a disaster.

Which geographical region, socio-economic class etc., who are the vulnerable people like which kind of households or individuals are and what should be done.

Vulnerability is shaped by various factors such as geographical region, socio-economic class, and the characteristics of individuals or households. For instance, poorer areas often have less infrastructure to withstand disasters, making their residents more vulnerable. The specific needs and capacities of vulnerable groups also dictate what measures can be taken to improve their resilience.

Think about a community living in a coastal area prone to hurricanes. Wealthier households may have the means to fortify their homes or evacuate, while less affluent households may lack resources, making them more vulnerable. This situation highlights how socio-economic factors directly impact a community's ability to cope with disaster.

We have the social vulnerability like, coping ability, resistance or resilience. Younger people are when a society is comprising only elder people, it is considered to be more vulnerable.

Social factors include the ability of individuals and communities to cope and recover from disasters, commonly referred to as resilience. Characteristics such as age, gender, and social structures play significant roles. For example, a society with a higher proportion of elderly individuals may struggle more during a disaster due to lower mobility and health issues, making it more vulnerable.

Consider a neighborhood where most residents are elderly. In the event of a natural disaster like a flood, these individuals might have more difficulties evacuating quickly compared to younger, more mobile populations. This gap in resilience illustrates how age-related vulnerabilities can shape community responses to hazards.

We have economic factors like economic status of individual, community, and society and income, income reserves, debts, access to credits, loans, insurance.

Economic factors significantly influence vulnerability, with elements such as income, debts, and insurance coverage determining a community's ability to withstand disasters. Those with higher incomes and insurance are often more capable of recovery because they have resources to draw upon during crises.

Imagine two families affected by a flood. One family has adequate insurance coverage and savings, allowing them to rebuild their home quickly. The other family, however, has no savings or insurance and struggles to recover. This difference in financial resources shows how crucial economic factors are in defining vulnerability.

Also, we have environmental factors like the extent of natural resource depletion, the state of resource degradation, exposure to toxic and hazardous pollutants.

Environmental factors include how degradation of natural resources and exposure to pollutants increase vulnerability. Communities reliant on degraded environments are at higher risk during disasters since their natural resilience is compromised.

Think of a community living near an industrial area with polluted air and water. This community might be already facing health issues due to pollution, making them even more vulnerable when a disaster strikes, such as an earthquake or flood. The existing environmental stress heightens their susceptibility to the impacts of that disaster.

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