Key UC Contact
What We Did
The project mapped the legal and institutional frameworks around International Disaster Response Law (IDRL) in the 16 English speaking member states of the Pacific Islands Forum. These systems were assessed against the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC) IDRL Guidelines and the draft Pacific Regional IDRL Guidelines (see below). The project also proposed recommendations for improving the implementation of IDRL across the region.
Who Was Involved
The project was funded by the IFRC and led by Professor John Hopkins (School of Law) and Finau Leveni (Disaster Law Consultant, Christchurch). Research support was provided by Holly Faulkner and Leticia Smith (ILAP LLM students).
Why It Matters
Getting the right international assistance is key to response and recovery efforts in the wake of a disaster, as everyone who lived through the Canterbury earthquake sequence is aware. However, getting this assistance is as much a legal question as it is a logistical one. The greatest problem in the wake of disasters is often un-solicited aid and un-prepared response teams. Who makes the decision to request international assistance and what happens when assistance arrives without being requested? What visa and qualification requirements are there for international assistance teams? What standards should be applied to equipment and medical supplies who authorises them? These are just some of the questions that face international responders and domestic officials in the wake of a disaster and answering them is crucial to any successful response and recovery.
As a means of resolving these issues, the IFRC has introduced the International Disaster Response Law (IDRL) Guidelines, a non-binding set of principles that were adopted by the international community in 2007. This project examined the 16 English speaking member states of the Pacific Islands Forum and assessed their processes and institutions against these guidelines and those being proposed for the Pacific region. The project also proposed recommendations for improving the implementation of IDRL across the Pacific.
Learn More
- Project Website: www.rcrc-resilience-southeastasia.org/disaster-law/international-disaster-response-law-in-the-pacific/
- PDF version of reports: www.preventionweb.net/files/73794_idrlinpacificcountryprofileslr.pdf
- reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/IDRL-In-Pacific_Regional-Summary-LR.pdf
