Problem of vulnerability

Although we do not pay much attention to the words "vulnerable" or "vulnerability" they have become very much a part of the vocabulary of those engaged in humanitarian work.

They have identified many vulnerable groups in society such as the homeless, single mothers and the unemployed. However, we find it difficult to consider vulnerability as a universal theme because it can mean different things in different societies.

Sometimes vulnerability gives rise to a question of semantics. Is 'vulnerability' same as 'risk'? Or do they mean the same thing?

Risk is usually associated with probability. Some jobs are supposed to be risky. Those who use firearms or handle explosives are at risk. If something goes wrong, they have to sacrifice their lives.

Humanitarian workers treat this kind of risk as actuarial probability. By the way, an actuary is an expert who calculates insurance risks and payments by studying how frequently accidents, fires and deaths occur. Actuarial probability can be extended to include floods earthquakes, tsunami or even war. An individual or a group of people that can experience acts of violence or natural disasters are vulnerable.

It is generally believed that people who are in need are more vulnerable than those who are rich. For instance, those living in close proximity to a chemical factory or nuclear plant run the risk of losing their lives and belongings in case of an explosion.

However, the rich will have the option of moving into a residential area which does not have such factories.

An earthquake or tsunami however, will not differentiate between the rich and the poor. Again the rich people who survive a disaster can rebuild their houses with money paid by insurance companies.

The poor have no such facilities. Therefore they are more vulnerable than the rich. Vulnerability of an given set of individuals are usually associated with physical phenomena. Those who treat patients without taking adequate precautions can catch diseases. Motorcyclists who ride carelessly without wearing protective helmets run the risk of injury or death.

Then there is organisational vulnerability. For instance, when law and order break down, everybody living in such a country is vulnerable to acts of injustice and criminality. In the international scene Iraq is facing a similar situation. Sri Lanka too faced a state of lawlessness at the height of insurgency. During such times law-abiding citizens do not find any state machinery to protect them.

Apart from physical vulnerability some people experience psychological vulnerability. They are forced to live in conflict areas. Especially the poor cannot leave their homes during a conflict. However, the rich can move their residence and live in considerable safety in certain areas.

Today there is a growing awareness of the situation. As a result, humanitarian workers believe that by studying vulnerability people can build their capacities to deal with dangerous situations. For instance, many people lost their lives during the tsunami because they were unaware of its potent force. Now they know what to do during such a catastrophic situation.

Some people take risks voluntarily. Those taking part in motorcycle races, war and walking on ropes know that they will lose their lives at any moment. Sometimes, risks are imposed upon us.

Then we face a collective vulnerability. If we are forced to live near a dangerous chemical factory, we run the risk of losing our lives or property. Similarly, we see people living on soil thin mountainsides knowing very well that they could be victims of a landslide.

Another vulnerability is closely connected with a country's economy. Those who lead a hand-to-mouth existence are at a greater level of vulnerability than those who are rich.

Meanwhile, some countries in the world give lower priority to economic vulnerability than political vulnerability. Both the rich and the poor become victims of political vulnerability. When the cost of living goes up, the poor begin to suffer. When a ceiling on lands is imposed by the government, the rich are adversely affected.

As far as drugs are concerned, we have several vulnerable groups in our society. In layman's language, drugs are chemicals extracted from natural and synthetic ingredients. People use them in different ways such as smoking with tobacco, using them as snuff, fume inhalation and administration, injecting, taking them together with alcohol or mixing with food and glue sniff. Some children become vulnerable to drugs.

This is because tobacco smoking is considered part of our culture although their is a strong lobby against smoking. At weddings, parties and even funerals cigarettes and liquor are freely available.

When adults use them, children think that is part of life. However much we educate children about the consequences of smoking and liquor, they follow the trend set by their elders and become a vulnerable group. Children who belong to the upper class are more vulnerable because their parents maintain minibars at home.

After experimenting with smoking cigarettes and taking alcohol, children go for hard drugs such as ganja. When bee and arrack are considered legal drugs, the transition to illegal drugs becomes an easy task. Prof. Nandasena Ratnapala in his monumental research work entitled "Drug and narcotic dependence in Sri Lanka" cites a mother who used to take heroin when she was pregnant. Eventually she gave birth to a son who became a drug addict in his adult life.

Another vulnerable group appears to be people who are frustrated or depressed. Most of them take to drugs as an anti-depressant. Some children find that their parents are too busy earning money or socializing.

They have no time to spend with their children. As a result, children get boned. To get away from boredom, they begin to take drugs.

When children become adults, they begin to hear various myths about drugs and sex. For instance, some adults believe certain drugs act as an aphrodisiac. Meanwhile, the poorest of the poor are another vulnerable group. Those who do manual work from morning till evening use drugs to relieve their physical and mental pains.

Another group vulnerable to drugs includes husbands whose wives are employed abroad. When the wife is away from home for a long time, the husband feels lonely. Then he starts taking drugs to forget his loneliness. Even when the wife returns, it is too late to wean the husband from drugs.

The gradual erosion of social and religious norms has immensely increased the number of individuals vulnerable to drugs. All religious leaders preach high ideals while drug lords carry on their nefarious activities.

As has been seen, children, adolescents and adults are vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters. Those who are wise and pious, however, can mitigate the degree of vulnerability to some extent. That is the human predicament we have to be aware of.

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