Advancing Sustainability in Humanitarian Action and Post-disaster Settlements

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to extend an invitation to contribute to a Special Issue of Sustainability that will focus on the crucial intersection of sustainability in humanitarian action and the establishment of settlements following disasters. This initiative aims at spotlighting innovative research and practices that contribute to the resilience and long-term sustainability of communities affected by crises.

This Special Issue seeks to address the pressing challenges faced in the aftermath of disasters, where humanitarian efforts play a pivotal role in immediate relief and long-term recovery. We aim to explore how sustainability principles can be integrated into humanitarian actions and the subsequent development of settlements, fostering the well-being and resilience of affected populations.

Key themes for exploration in this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Sustainable shelter and infrastructure development in post-disaster settlements.
• Innovative approaches to ensure water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sustainability.
• Community engagement and empowerment for long-term resilience.
• Eco-friendly and resource-efficient solutions for disaster recovery.
• Incorporating sustainable livelihoods and economic development into post-disaster strategies.

Contributions are encouraged from diverse perspectives, including academic research, field experiences, and case studies that highlight successful strategies or lessons learned in the pursuit of sustainability within humanitarian contexts.

As Guest Editors, we invite researchers, practitioners, and experts in the field to share their insights, providing a platform to advance the discourse on sustainable humanitarian action and settlement development post-disaster.

We look forward to your valuable contributions in shaping a sustainable and resilient future for communities affected by disasters.

Prof. Dr. Rui Cunha Marques
Dr. Mai Wardeh
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• sustainability
• sustainable development goals
• resilience
• disaster
• humanitarian settlements
• refugees
• internal displaced person
• development

We are delighted to extend an invitation to contribute to a Special Issue of Sustainability that will focus on the crucial intersection of sustainability in humanitarian action and the establishment of settlements following disasters. This initiative aims at spotlighting innovative research and practices that contribute to the resilience and long-term sustainability of communities affected by crises.

This Special Issue seeks to address the pressing challenges faced in the aftermath of disasters, where humanitarian efforts play a pivotal role in immediate relief and long-term recovery. We aim to explore how sustainability principles can be integrated into humanitarian actions and the subsequent development of settlements, fostering the well-being and resilience of affected populations.