Developments at Regional and National

Levels

By: Isabelle Granger, IDRL Coordinator for the Americas,

International Disasters Response Laws, Rules and Principles Programme

isabelle.granger@ifrc.org

Washington DC, 09 December 2010

Need to act: regional signals• Resolution of the OAS General Assembly

(July 2009) “process of joint assessment of existing legislative

and coordination mechanisms”

• Declaration of Florianopolis (September 2009):

Investigate existing mechanisms Evaluate national legal frameworks for facilitating

and regulating international relief using the IDRL Guidelines

• Declaration of Buenos Aires (June 2010) Request for a Model Regional Legal Compendium,

based on the IDRL Guidelines

• Declaration de Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia (November 2010)

“to organize, within the OAS framework, a workshop to define a prompt and coordinated regional response mechanism to natural disasters.”

Regional Instruments• CDEMA

• Convention establishing CDERA• Development of Model Legislation for

member states • CEPREDENAC

• Regional Mechanism• Regional Manual

• CAPRADE• Regional Manual

• ACS• Treaty on Disaster Response

• MERCOSUR- REHU• Specialized Meeting

Gaps in regional regulatory framework

• Limited geographical reach• State actors only• Ratification and implementation

needed to take effect (harmonization of national laws)

• Do not address all most common legal problems of international disaster assistance

Technical assistance project to strengthen legal preparedness for international disaster assistance at

national levelsMethodology:•Legal Investigation: Analysis and review of legal framework•Interviews with stakeholders•Meetings of Working Group and National Workshops•Recommendations and follow-up

2010/2011: Colombia, Haiti, Peru2011/2012: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Jamaica, El Salvador, Dominican Republic.

IDRL-Haiti

•Project Phase 1 (Sept to Dec. 2010): legal investigation and consultation process. Report will be launched early January 2011.

•Project Phase 2 (First quarter 2011-onward): IFRC and CRH will provide support to government of to strengthen the legal framework, taking into account the recommendations of the IDRL report.

IDRL-Peru and ColombiaPhase I- First quarter 2011•Legal investigation and consultation process•Reports will be launched in February and March 2011

Phase II-Second quarter 2011-onward•Recommendations and follow-up actions

For more information

• IDRL website:

– www.ifrc.org/idrl– www.ifrc.org/sp/idrl