Disasters in Asia: the Case for Legal Preparedness

Good laws and legal frameworks are essential to how we reduce the
risks, and how we prepare and respond. Presidents and parliaments
cannot order the atmosphere to cool down or the earth to stay still
but they can do a great deal to reduce the human suffering that
growing disasters bring.
Good legislation has the power to help communities become less
vulnerable, to strengthen their ability to deal with the hazards they
face and to smooth the path of rescue services, humanitarian aid
and recovery help when they are needed.
Weak legal frameworks and policies, on the other hand, can put
people closer to harm’s way, undermine efforts to help them and
lead to unfair and unsatisfying results in the aftermath of a disaster.
This is why encouraging stronger, more inclusive, and fairer disaster
legislation is so important to the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). As independent auxiliaries
to public authorities in the humanitarian field, its member National
Societies are responsible for providing governments with the best
advice they can gather from their long experience in dealing with
disasters.
This report highlights three areas where we know that law can make
a key difference in Asia Pacific and where the Red Cross and Red
Crescent is supporting governments to tackle the problems.