Image: A family in Mozambique is rescued by a South African helicopter crew after severe floods
This tool will help the IFRC continue to engage with states at a strategic level and advocate globally for best practice.
Rebecca Campbell, Partner, London
The Index will help states strengthen their legal frameworks for disaster risk governance by showcasing best practices and highlighting gaps in existing laws related to risk reduction, preparedness, response and recovery, and the extent to which these laws address the auxiliary role of the IFRC. Relevance to climate change is also included.
This multi-year project is led by London partner Rebecca Campbell. Working closely with IFRC’s legislative advocacy coordinator, Isabelle Granger, Rebecca and associates Bandar Altunisi (Riyadh), Matthew Richards (Johannesburg) and trainee solicitor Naim Nasser (London) have developed a robust analytical framework that outlines the categories and indicators necessary to score the alignment of a country’s domestic disaster risk management (DRM) laws with the 2030 objectives of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
“The ultimate goal of the Index is to support the creation of state-of-the-art disaster management legislation worldwide,” said Naim, who serves as project manager. “It will allow the IFRC’s unique Disaster Law Programme to build on its success making tangible legal change for humanitarian assistance.”
Work is now underway by more than 50 of our lawyers worldwide to apply the Framework to national laws in more than 200 jurisdictions. The Index will be launched at a side event of the biennial Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly in Geneva in May 2019.
The IFRC sees the Index as essential to its ongoing advocacy programs around the world, as well as an easy-to-use reference for parliamentarians, DRM practitioners and policymakers.
“The IFRC recognizes the value of having a really good handle on the global regulatory platform in which they are operating,” said Rebecca. “We are pleased for the opportunity to do this crucial work that can only be undertaken by a large pool of trained lawyers able to research across many jurisdictions. This tool will help the IFRC continue to engage with states at a strategic level and advocate globally for best practice.”
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