Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 7: Disaster laws and policies that leave no one behind (33IC/19/R7) – Australian Red Cross

¿ Ha incorporado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en los planes estratégicos u operativos pertinentes?

Los compromisos han sido incorporados en
estrategia
política
plan operativo
legislación o normativa (p. ej. ley, reglamentación, estatutos, reglamento, etc.)

A nacional, local nivel

Explicación:

Australian Red Cross (ARC) works to evaluate and improve laws, regulations and policies relating to disaster preparedness and response through formal mechanisms such as submissions to reviews and inquiries, and via advocacy through the publication of reports, delivery of presentations, membership on key groups and committees, and through public campaigns.

We respond to state and national parliamentary inquiries when topics align with our areas of expertise including disaster resilience, migration, humanitarian concerns and so on. We give testimony to Senate committee hearings, provide formal and informal advice and consultation in policy processes with humanitarian implications, and directly engage with and advocate to Ministers and other Government representatives.

Our recommendations align with our advocacy strategy which has a specific focus on people groups who are marginalised and made vulnerable by systems. Going forward these will be informed by an organisation-wide prioritisation process for advocacy and humanitarian diplomacy.

Throughout the reporting period ARC has provided detailed submissions to government with evidence and recommendations such as:
– Supplementary Submission to the Senate Select Committee on Disaster Resilience
– Submission to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on the National Adaptation Plan Issues Paper
– Submission to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee on the Emergency Response Fund Amendment
– Submission to the Independent review of Commonwealth Disaster Funding
– Submission to the Alternative Commonwealth Capabilities for Crisis Response
– Submission to the Independent Review of Natural Disaster Governance Arrangements

ARC is developing a new climate strategy that will contribute to reduced disaster risk through ARC being more proactive and prepared to address climate drive disasters.

Ha trabajado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución con otros asociados para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

En asociación con:
gobierno y/o autoridades públicas
CICR/Federación Internacional
otras Sociedades Nacionales de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Luna Roja
asociados en los ámbitos humanitario y de desarrollo (por ejemplo, Naciones Unidas, organizaciones no gubernamentales)
mundo académico

Ejemplos de cooperación:

In Australia, ARC works with key national government committees and groups to progress the disaster law resolution through advice, advocacy and information including the:
– Community Outcomes and Recovery Sub-committee
– Social Recovery Reference Group

ARC also works with other levels of government to support enhanced laws, regulations and policies for disasters.

ARC also works closely with academic institutions to develop evidence around disasters and climate change, and to advocate for positive changes to laws, regulations and policies. This includes:
– Australian National University
– Deakin University
– La Trobe University
– Monash University
– Natural Hazards Research Australia
– University of Melbourne
– University of New South Wales
– University of Sydney

As an example, ARC has recently commissioned research into the social capital return on investment for disaster resilience.

ARC is also working with IFRC through the UCRP Zurich heatwave project to reduce the impact of heatwaves in Australia. ARC is also linked with and has regular engagement with British, New Zealand, Canadian and American Red Cross on disaster response.

In Asia Pacific region, ARC in partnership with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) supports IFRC Disaster Law Program’s (DLP) work with National Societies, state authorities and regional organisations to develop more effective local, national and regional disaster laws and policies to help make communities safer. This involves provision of technical support for analysis, drafting and implementation of policy and legal frameworks; building the capacity of National Societies to leverage their auxiliary role and influence local, national and regional processes; and influencing regional approaches, guidelines, and agreements. During the reporting period, the work has increasingly focussed on integrating climate, anticipatory action and public health emergencies into disaster management policy and legal frameworks.

Some of the significant activities contributing to the resolution include:

– Publication of the ‘Law and Disaster Preparedness and Response Multi-Country Synthesis Report’ (2019) (https://disasterlaw.ifrc.org/media/1302), commissioned to inform the development of the ‘Checklist on Law and Disaster Preparedness and Response’ (https://rcrcconference.org/app/uploads/2019/10/33IC_12.5-annex-Disaster-Law-annex-draft-check-list-FINAL-EN.pdf)

– Publication of ‘Legal Preparedness for Regional and International Disaster Assistance in the Pacific: Country Profiles’ (2020) (https://www.ifrc.org/sites/default/files/IDRL-In-Pacific_Regional-Summary-LR.pdf)

Publication of ‘Law, Disasters and Public Health Emergencies in the Pacific’ report (2021) (https://disasterlaw.ifrc.org/sites/default/files/media/disaster_law/2021-12/Law%2C%20Disasters%20and%20Public%20Health%20Emergencies%20in%20the%20Pacific.pdf), which analysed the level of integration between disaster risk management and public health emergency frameworks across eight Pacific countries; Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu

– Establishment of the Asia-Pacific Disaster Law Conference, including the launch of the Asia-Pacific Disaster Law Network, to promote collaborative evidence building on disaster law.

– Strong engagement in intergovernmental or multilateral forums such as:
– Establishment of and secretariat for the RCRC SIDS Network, including a Community of Practice to support collaboration between National Societies and support engagement with the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Antigua Barbuda
– IFRC Disaster Law positioned as lead agency in the technical sub-working group on Institutionalising Anticipatory Action into Law and Policy in Asia Pacific (est. 2203) to develop a guidance tool for governments on developing law and policy for AA
– Collaboration with the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) to broaden engagement with civil society
– Co-chairing the Technical Working Group on Risk Governance and Resilient Development, under the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific (part of the Pacific Islands Forum), to support development of on climate-smart disaster risk management legal frameworks.
– Collaboration with the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) Working Group on Prevention and Mitigation on Disaster Law and Public Health Emergencies, resulting in the publication of the ‘ASEAN Disaster Law and Public Health Emergencies: Mapping and Guidelines’ (2024) (https://asean.org/book/asean-disaster-law-and-public-health-emergencies/).

¿Ha habido dificultades para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

Dificultades en relación con:
recursos humanos
limitaciones de financiación
conflicto de prioridades

Describa detalladamente estas dificultades:

ARC Ongoing funding challenges

During the reporting period, delivery of disaster law activities in Asia Pacific was affected by the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, such as travel restrictions and, in some contexts, competing domestic priorities for National Societies. Protracted crises in the region meant that engagement with some countries was not possible or very limited. The level of engagement and activities significantly ramped up in 2023.

¿Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en el trabajo y la dirección del Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución?

Tipo de repercusión:
fortalecimiento de la cooperación entre el gobierno o las autoridades públicas y la Sociedad Nacional
establecimiento o fortalecimiento de asociaciones con otros actores humanitarios
formación y capacidad de los miembros del personal y de los voluntarios (en el caso de las Sociedades Nacionales);

Describa detalladamente las repercusiones:

In Asia Pacific, ARC-DFAT partnership has supported National Societies and their public authorities to review and improve disaster laws and policies. It has also supported training and peer exchange opportunities for National Societies, authorities and civil society. These activities, along with support for strengthening their auxiliary role, have improved collaboration and enabled National Societies to more effectively carry out their humanitarian mandate. For example:

– In 2023, IFRC DLP team provided technical support in legal drafting procedures in Fiji, Nepal, Philippines, Marshall Islands, Samoa, and Timor-Leste.
– Since 2018, IFRC DLP has supported Fiji Red Cross and Fiji National Disaster Management Office with review of the 1998 Natural Disaster Management Act and the 1995 National Disaster Management Plan, taking a multi-risk and hazard approach and focusing on disaster risk reduction. In this period, the Fiji Climate Change Bill was developed and enacted into law in 2021, the Disaster Risk Management Bill has been tabled in Parliament in May 2024, and consultations on the Fiji Humanitarian Policy for Disaster Risk Management continue.

– Technical support for the annual Pacific Week of Anticipatory Action which brings together state and civil society leaders from Pacific Island Countries and regional partners (UN, IFRC) to enhance understanding and preparedness for anticipatory action across the Pacific in the face of climate change and escalating disaster risks.  The inaugural week (https://disasterlaw.ifrc.org/sites/default/files/media/disaster_law/2024-05/Pacific%20Week%20of%20Anticipatory%20Action%20Report%20-%20March%202023.pdf) held in 2023 convened more than 80 participants and reaffirmed the region’s commitment to building a more resilient Pacific.

– In 2024, the Pacific Peer Exchange, hosted by Fiji Red Cross, brought together Pacific National Society representatives (Fiji, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu) with National Disaster Management Offices (Fiji, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, and Samoa) for Fiji’s first national simulation exercise on earthquake and tsunami. Attendees participated in the response simulation, processes for requesting and deploying international emergency response teams, and the after-action review for the exercise alongside development partners, government personnel and civil society, and provided feedback on national emergency plans and standard operating procedures.

– In 2024, work is underway to design peer exchange between the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) and the Pacific Islands Forum.

5. Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en las comunidades a las que el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución presta servicios?

Describa las repercusiones:

While community impacts of the improved disaster laws and policies can take longer to see, the ARC-DFAT partnership support for IFRC Disaster Law Program in Asia-Pacific has contributed to positive legal changes at national and regional levels, and in turn, to better coordinated, more effective, and locally led humanitarian responses. For example, the review of Fiji’s National Disaster Management Act and Plan, in partnership with the Government of Fiji and Fiji Red Cross, shifted the focus of the national disaster risk management system to disaster risk reduction and strengthened humanitarian cooperation and coordination. This included consultations with diverse groups from across Fiji, ensuring that no one is left behind in legislation and in the decision-making process.