On September 6th-8th , the legal advisors of 69 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies gathered in Geneva for their annual meetings with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC).
In his opening address, IFRC Secretary-General Bekele Geleta reminded participants that the Federation’s new “Strategy 2020” had set out key benchmarks by which National Societies and their governments might now judge their work. It also highlighted the importance of humanitarian diplomacy as an indispensable tool in achieving the Strategy’s strategic aims related to saving lives, improving community security and health, supporting recovery, and fostering social inclusion. The growing expertise and attention of Federation members to issues of disaster law would be an important facet of the new focus on humanitarian diplomacy.
Among other topics, participants assessed developments in international law related to disaster response and the progress to date in implementation of the IDRL Guidelines. The National Red Cross Societies of Sierra Leona, Colombia, Nepal, and Bulgaria each presented case studies of IDRL promotion work in their countries, with the support of the IFRC.
They also addressed some emerging areas of disaster law advocacy, including legislation for disaster risk reduction, the reduction of legal barriers to providing equitable shelter after disasters, measures to ensure protection of the dignity and rights of persons affected by disasters, and laws promoting and protecting volunteers.
The outcomes of this meeting will inform ongoing plans for the upcoming statutory meetings of the Movement, including the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which will take place in Geneva in 2011.