Humanitarian Responses and Their Ethical Implications

Abstract

As the frequency and seriousness of natural disasters increase, humanitarian response gains interests. Disaster, as a threat to a society, exposes the weaknesses of that society and aids from agents other than that society are needed in the disaster situation. This nature of humanitarian response makes ethical consideration necessary, but as the context is different, ethical concerns and principles are also different from those of conventional medical ethics. Ethical justification is essential to humanitarian responses, and ethical standards and ideals should be considered during the humanitarian responses.