Following the successful National Workshop on Disaster Management Law in Cambodia, co-hosted by Red Cross and National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) on 2nd of February (click here to find out more), Cambodia Red Cross in partnership with NCDM, have undertaken two sub-national workshops with the aim to strengthen public awareness on the 2015 Law on Disaster Management, ensuring greater understanding of the rights, roles and responsibilities of various actors provided in the law, including at the community level.
On 26 July 2017, the second sub-national dissemination workshop took place at Kampot with 50 participants from nine eastern provinces ((Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Takeo, Kep, Kampong Speu, Kandal, Prey Veng, Kampot and Svay Rieng). It familiarized the participants with the most relevant components of the 2015 Disaster Management Law, especially regarding roles, rights and responsibilities and the implementation at the provincial and community level.
“Although Cambodia is the small country, we have the disaster law as the mechanism to support the disaster risk management. As auxiliary to the public authorities in the humanitarian sector, Cambodia Red Cross has a key role to play disaster risk management. Outlined in Chapter Six are the rights and obligations of all people of Cambodia. It is very important that each stakeholder (including Red Cross) know their roles, rights and responsibilities and undertake their work in coordination, to avoid duplication and gaps’ said Mme. Pum Chantinie, Secretary General of Cambodian Red Cross during the opening remark.
The dissemination also serves to highlight the role of Cambodia Red Cross as a key community-based actor and partner of National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) and Provincial Committee for Disaster Management representatives (PCDM).
“The disaster law is a tool to implement more effective disaster management in Cambodia. Disaster can happen anytime, anywhere, it is crucial to have the preparedness plan in place. Red Cross is the key stakeholder in disaster management together with NCDM. This is because when disaster strikes, Red Cross is there to support,” said, H.E Khun Sokha, Consultant and Director of Preparedness and Training Department of NCDM.
During the workshop, the Red Cross staff from each province also practiced the application of the 2015 law during the walk-through scenario on flooding across 8 provinces. This helped them to understand and identify the next step to move forward with their communities.
“Even though this law was endorsed in 2015, I just learnt about it today. So, the people in the community may not aware of it as well, “said Poth Sokhany, Deputy of sub-branch Lovea Em district and the gender and diversity focal point. “After the workshop, I will report this to the district office and will develop a plan to disseminate the law. I will mainstream what I have learnt with the community during the monthly meeting with them, so they can be aware,” she concluded.
The third and last sub-national dissemination workshop is set to be held on 10th of August in Kratie province.