When looking at laws, it is often– if not always– followed by a heap of clauses outlining its specifics, but there is always one section that is present among these conditions: the definition. In taking action to solve any problem, defining it first is a pivotal step toward its resolution. This is true for any problem the world may be facing, be it actions in addressing sexism, racism, poverty, or even environmental issues, such as flooding. 

Flooding, according to Merriam-Webster, is the “rising and overflowing of a body of water, especially onto normally dry land” (2025). A different perspective on the issue refers to urban flooding, which is known as the influx of water in congested areas due to several factors, such as excessive rainfall, an overflowed drainage system, climate change, obstruction of flood flows, urbanization, and many more (Agonafir et al., 2023). This ultimately discards the idea that it is an isolated problem and positions it in a context that showcases it as the side effect of multiple inequalities and thus must be addressed accordingly.

 This also illustrates why social justice must be brought into conversations regarding flood prevention. Social justice, or “the fair treatment and equitable status of all individuals and social groups within a state or society”, should remain at the core of flood prevention measures as it is the key to answering the inequalities being exacerbated (Duignan, 2025). As such, when a disaster occurs and a country is unable to respond accordingly, this exposes disparities lying beneath the surface. Corruption is revealed through poor budget allocation for disaster responses and supposedly preventative infrastructure (Saharan, 2015). Following this, the substandard healthcare system is made more evident through the rise in malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and period poverty (Lee et al., 2020). The topic of housing rights must also be considered as people continue to become affected if not displaced due to calamities (Dulawan et al., 2024). Lastly, it must also be discussed how this displacement may hinder the education of the youth impacted within these areas (Cadag et al., 2017). 

Overall, by placing social justice at the forefront of these measures, it thereby puts humanity as a priority as well. It is not one or the other, but rather social justice and disaster prevention must coexist with one another if one is to create a solution that is both robust and effective. This view is also something NOVUS Innovations aims to uphold through its case competitions. With NOVUS’ core vision revolving around the principles of sustainable development, the organization endeavors to give the youth a seat at the table in discussing national and global matters, in pursuit of both progress and innovation.