The IFRC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are working on a joint project to research, compare and consult on the efforts of various countries to strengthen how their laws support the reduction of disaster risks, particularly at the community level.
The Law & DRR project has 2 parts:
- Country level research, including around 30 desk surveys which are being done by a 'virtual team' of pro bono lawyers and volunteer graduate law students around the globe. These are being followed up by 10 detailed country case studies focusing more on implementation issues, identified through stakeholder interviews. This research is to help us get a clearer idea of good practices and gaps, and to see if there are some general principles or practices that can be applied in a range of different countries. We are also examining existing international law relevant to DRR. A synthesis report of the findings is expected in the first quarter of 2013.
- An advocacy initiative to develop a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Checklist for Lawmakers over the coming year, as a way to reflect best practice and encourage the development and implementation of effective laws. See here for more information about the inception workshop to develop the Checklist for Lawmakers, October 2012.
Comments? Suggestions? Please contact us at disaster.law@ifrc.org.