The tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes which hit parts of Asia and the Americas in 2004/2005 highlighted the need to be attentive to the multiple human rights challenges that affected persons may face. All too often their human rights are not sufficiently taken into account. Experience has shown that, while patterns of discrimination and disregard for economic, social and cultural rights may already emerge during the emergency phase of a disaster, the longer a displacement situation continues, the greater the risk is for human rights violations.
