International organizations urge governments to establish stronger laws on disaster risk reduction

BANGKOK, 26 June 2014 (NNT) - International organizations have called for Asian countries to establish and enforce stronger laws that protect at-risk communities from threats posed by natural disasters.

The report entitled “Effective Law and Regulation for Disaster Risk Reduction” released by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) calls for a greater focus on the implementation of existing legislation, including ensuring that local authorities are equipped with necessary skills and resources, and more participation of at-risk communities in the formulation of risk reduction laws and policies.

Studies have shown that although there has been much progress in modernizing disaster management legislation, some of the new laws still have not made the fundamental shift to ensure that prevention is a priority.

According to Tessa Kelly, coordinator of the IFRC’s disaster law program in Asia Pacific, many laws are too vague to be fully effective, especially when it comes to funding and community participation in decision-making.

The IFRC has also expressed worries that legal frameworks in many countries have not come to grips with how to promote the safety of people living without legal title to their land in urban slums, even though those people are most at risk.


-- NNT 2014-06-26

I told my wife years ago “lets open a small boat sales” in Bangkok central but she and her friends just looked at me and laughed.

Laws on disaster risk reduction ? This isn't a King Canute thing is it as we know how well that worked.

These international organisation need to realise that Thailand can make all the laws in the world but they're meaningless without proper implementation and an absence of corruption and that doesn't really sound like Thailand.

Laws on disaster risk reduction ? This isn't a King Canute thing is it as we know how well that worked.

These international organisation need to realise that Thailand can make all the laws in the world but they're meaningless without proper implementation and an absence of corruption and that doesn't really sound like Thailand.

Major changes can only come from Thailand itself. Not from external advise or pressure.

First signs of the new (military) government is that they do book more results in fighting corruption than the previous governments did in years.

It gets broad support from the people. More and more people choose to speak out when they are confronted with corruption. Simply because they feel more safe to do so nowadays. This may very well be the needed start of structurally dealing with corruption in Thailand.

Laws on disaster risk reduction ? This isn't a King Canute thing is it as we know how well that worked.

Exactly.

Totally meaningless fluff produced by overpaid jobsworths in an attempt to justify their Salaries.

Patrick