Natural Disasters and Human Rights

Protecting the people’s lives from natural disasters is one of primary issues for a country in providing human rights.

The DPRK has enforced the policies for human rights to protect the lives and property of its people from natural disasters and is steadily developing them.

In August and September this year, continuous flood and typhoon hit several areas of the country, including North and South Hwanghae and North and South Hamgyong provinces, causing severe damage to them simultaneously.

A large number of houses were destroyed and not a few public buildings and farmland were inundated. In order to cope with the disastrous situation, the State took emergency measures for disaster relief.

It took steps for formation of building forces to be urgently seconded to the afflicted areas and transport of materials. Labour force, food, materials, medical supplies, etc. arrived there by road and by sea.

On September 17, the flood victims in Kangbuk-ri, Kumchon County, North Hwanghae Province moved into new houses which were built by the State free of charge after clearing away the traces of natural disasters. Similar auspicious events took place one after another in other afflicted areas.

Earlier, the government paid primary attention to stabilizing the living of residents in the disaster-stricken areas when the areas of Kaechon and Komdok suffered from flooding in 2012, Rason City in 2015 and the northern area of North Hamgyong Province in 2016 and South Hwanghae Province and other areas were hit by typhoons in 2019.

It has amended and supplemented the “Law of the DPRK on Disaster Prevention, Relief and Rehabilitation” in order to protect the people’s lives and the property of the State, social cooperative organizations and citizens from disastrous natural phenomena and other factors.

While severe natural calamities are now sweeping across the world, happy events of moving into new houses are being witnessed in the afflicted areas of the DPRK. This gives a glimpse of a criterion for realizing true human rights in the country.

December 10 is World Human Rights Day.