In 2007, the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent adopted the Guidelines for the domestic facilitation and regulation of international disaster relief and initial recovery assistance (also known as the IDRL Guidelines). The IDRL Guidelines were developed after six years of research and consultations by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support states address a consistent set of regulatory problems in international disaster relief and early recovery, resulting from a lack of clear rules at the domestic level. Drawing on existing international norms and global experience, the IDRL Guidelines provide recommendations as to how states can strengthen their laws, rules and procedures to avoid common regulatory problems in international disaster operations.
Since their adoption twelve years ago, 37 countries have adopted new laws, rules or procedures drawing on the IDRL Guidelines. Eighteen more have bills or draft rules currently pending. In addition, several global and regional organizations, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Disaster Prevention and Coordination Centre in Central America (CEPREDENAC) and the African Union, have, while highlighting the importance of national disaster laws, made use of the IDRL Guidelines to develop or strengthen regional mechanisms for international disaster cooperation.
For their part, numerous National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies across the globe have been active in supporting their authorities to make use of the IDRL Guidelines and the IFRC has developed several fruitful partnerships to help support their dissemination and implementation.
This report is intended to update the State parties to the Geneva Conventions, the components of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and their partners on global progress in the implementation of the IDRL Guidelines. It follows on similar updates prepared by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 2009, 2011 and 2015.