At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of states have enacted emergency decrees and/or other new legal instruments that introduce measures to prepare for and respond to the pandemic. At the request of IFRC, White & Case and the British Red Cross rapidly completed a mapping of the emergency measures introduced in 113 countries. The assessment questions used for the Emergency Decree Mapping focused on: coordination between different actors; the nature of restrictions introduced to curb the spread of COVID-19; and legal facilities for humanitarian actors, including Red Cross Red Crescent Movement actors.
The Reviews have been prepared by legal professionals on a voluntary basis. They attempt to reflect the position in each country at the time of their drafting and are based on publicly available materials. IFRC does not assume any responsibility for the contents of the Reviews, including any errors and omissions contained therein, nor for the contents of the sources to which they refer.