noun
person requiring special help
Used in disaster management and social welfare contexts to refer to people who need assistance during emergencies, typically the elderly, infants, people with disabilities, etc.
See also: 要援護 (ようえんご)
災害時には、要援護者の避難を優先してください。
In the event of a disaster, please prioritize the evacuation of people requiring special help.
要援護 is the concept of needing assistance, while 要援護者 refers to the person who needs it.
Compound of 要 (need), 援護 (assistance, support), and 者 (person).