In a country like Mauritius, vulnerable to severe weather events and disasters, having a strong legal framework to govern disaster risk management is critical. In 2016, the Government of Mauritius Red Cross and IFRC Disaster Law drafted a disaster risk management bill that was passed into law, becoming the strong legal base that is the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2016.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2016
In the aftermath of flash floods and other disasters in 2013, the Government of Mauritius decided to establish the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC) to improve overall coordination and to better define roles and responsibilities in the event of a disaster. A taskforce, including Government departments, ministries and the Mauritius Red Cross Society, was created to develop a national legal framework for disaster risk management through the drafting of a bill. The bill was officially adopted into law in 2016 as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2016.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act promotes a proactive all-hazard, multi-agency approach to disaster risk management that emphasises building capacity at all levels from the individual to the institutional.
María Martínez, IFRC Disaster Law Coordinator for Africa says that legislation is an indispensable tool that empowers communities to take an active role understanding and mitigating disaster risks and knowing how to respond to disasters.
“Mauritius Red Cross played a crucial role in the development and implementation of the 2016 National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act. This law established the institutional and legal architecture for disaster risk management in the country and brought the community at the center through the community disaster response programme, strengthening disaster risk governance at all levels.”
Local impact through Community Disaster Response Teams
Following the enactment of the bill into law, the Mauritius Red Cross Society and the NDRRMC were tasked with creating Community Disaster Response Teams together with local authorities. Approximately 25 teams are now trained in basic safety and rescue techniques and help build the capacity of the community to respond to emergency situations and disasters. Bringing the community on board also removed many of the previous communication barriers, which helped raise awareness of disaster risk reduction within vulnerable communities.
Community-led disaster efforts
When a grounded ship broke apart and leaked tons of oil into the protected coast off Mauritius in 2020, the Mauritius Government declared an environmental emergency and engaged hundreds of volunteers along with volunteers of the Mauritius Red Cross to mitigate damage to the Mahebourg Lagoon and protected marine wetlands polluted by the spilled fuel.
The NDRRMC worked hand-in-hand with the community, coordinating teams of volunteers headed by a special taskforce on the ground to help mitigate damage. The result was a close collaboration and effective coordination between Community Disaster Response Teams, local authorities and other volunteers who rallied together in this common cause.
Mauritius Red Cross continues to support the awareness and implementation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act and provide technical assistance in the development of other tools to facilitate the effective management of disasters and emergencies in the country.