The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is calling on the international community to improve its legal preparedness for disasters, in order to help remedy the legal bottlenecks and challenges of coordination that can hinder life-saving aid from reaching people in need.
The International Federation is holding a European Forum in Antalya, Turkey, from 25 to 26 May to review the situation of International Disaster Response Laws, Rules and Principles (IDRL) world-wide, with a particular focus on Europe, and identify regulatory gaps and propose improvements.
The European Forum, co-sponsored by the Turkish Red Crescent Society, will bring together more than 60 top level representatives from national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, governments, UN and other international organizations, NGOs and academic experts.
“Today, legal regimes at the national, regional and international levels are just not ready to deal with the realities of large international assistance operations. Legal improvements will ensure that aid is better organised, flows more smoothly and efficiently reaches disaster-affected victims.” explains Johan Schaar, Special Representative of the Federation’s Secretary General for the Asia Tsunami Operation.
The International Federation and its 183 member Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are directly affected by weak legislation and insufficient implementation of existing laws because they are at the forefront of response when a disaster strikes.
The International Federation has been working with its partners since 2001 to study how laws and standards can help ensure that emergency assistance is delivered as efficiently as possible with a view to reducing the number of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters and alleviating the suffering of disaster-affected populations.
Experience in the field has repeatedly demonstrated the need for improvement in the legal framework to facilitate disaster response. Lengthy customs procedures for relief goods and equipment, difficulties in obtaining licenses for telecommunications equipment, problems with domestic corporate registration requirements, and visa restrictions are just a few of the barriers to the delivery of emergency assistance. E
Experience on the ground has also highlighted the need for legal improvements with regard to regulation of disaster response. This will guarantee the quality of emergency assistance, its cultural adequacy, and ensure respect for the primary role of the local authorities in leading and coordinating the disaster response.
For instance, in its recently completed case study of the 1999 Marmara Earthquake, the Turkish Red Crescent Society documented many bureaucratic barriers to the importation of relief goods and equipment and to the efficient operation by international agencies during the response operation.
Participants in the European Forum will discuss the current IDRL framework at the international, regional and national levels, as well as operational challenges. They will also discuss specific issues such as humanitarian access, quality and accountability.
The European Forum will be the first of four regional meetings organized by the International Federation. The other three will be held in Africa, Asia and the Americas in the upcoming months. The conclusions from all four regional meetings will be integrated into a set of recommendations which will be submitted for approval to governments attending the 30th International Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference, scheduled for 2007 in Geneva.