Legal preparedness for responding to disasters and communicable disease emergencies: Laos

This legal research study was conducted in Lao PDR between March and August 2009 to:

1. Identify gaps and areas of good practice in addressing legal issues and implementing the key regional and international instruments relevant to disaster and communicable disease emergencies in Laos;
2. Recommend legal and policy measures to minimise legal barriers and encourage effective national and international responses to disasters and communicable diseases in Laos.

The research process involved i) legal document collection and analysis against key international and regional standards; ii) a survey of key stakeholders; iii) consultation meetings with UN, INGOs and government officials; and iV) a high-level meeting to discuss the findings and recommendations of the study with the Government of Lao PDR.

The overarching recommendation of this study is that a new legal instrument is needed to:

• Establish a comprehensive framework, definition and set of principles for the management of disasters, including communicable disease emergencies.
• Ensure that relevant government entities have the necessary legal authority, resources and enforcement mechanisms to carry out their mandates.
• Address the legal arrangements for the facilitation and regulation of international assistance (when needed) in the event of a disaster or communicable disease emergency.

The Project was managed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) with technical assistance from World Health Organization (WHO), supported by Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded Pooled Fund of the Greater Mekong Sub-region Communicable Disease Control Project.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies / Asian Development Bank, 2009.

Online version of the case study
http://www.ifrc.org/PageFiles/93704/IDRL_Red-Cross-Report-Laos_v27-ENG.pdf