28. Ethical Issue #4

Selecting key policies and program priorities

Humanitarian emergencies reflect fundamental social, economic and political dislocations, with multiple causes and effects. Disaster management policy makers and planners must establish focused and attainable policy objectives and program goals in order to achieve results. Review the ethical criteria identified which should guide the selection of such policies and priorities; ask participants if there are additional considerations they would include.

Ethical criteria must guide the selection of policies and priorities, including:

· recognition of the people's own survival strategies

· coordination with the population's efforts and other organizations

· evaluation of the importance ascribed to different age, sex and social groups within the population

· consideration of short- and long-term outcomes

· psychological versus socio-economic and psycho-social well-being

· others???