RCSS better-positioned to support government in disaster law, climate smart policies |30 August 2022

Delegates and guests in a souvenir photograph

The Red Cross Society Seychelles (RCSS) will be better positioned in its auxiliary role to support government in effecting climate-smart policies and disaster management legislation, upon completing two workshops organised by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Disaster Law.

Specifically aimed towards Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies from across the Indian Ocean, Asia Pacific, and Caribbean regions, the workshops seek to empower national societies to build strong advocacy strategies, while also engaging governments, regional and international organisations to join the climate-fight through a climate-smart approach to disaster-management.

The first two-day workshop officially kicked off at the Savoy Resort and Spa yesterday morning, grouping together leaders and representatives of national societies, for discussions on the means through which they can advocate for the enhancement of legal frameworks for effective disaster management laws, in order to respond and better adapt to climate-change and its far-reaching impacts.

According to IFRC Head of Country Cluster Delegation for the Indian Ocean Islands Maria Martinez, the IFRC and national societies are well-positioned to support government in reviewing legislation and ensuring that policies are compliant with global and international commitments, as pioneers, with over twenty years of experience in disaster law.

“As island states, we are all feeling the impacts of climate change, and Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have been at the forefront, not only of the response, but also on the preparedness side, assisting their governments, as auxiliaries to their public authorities in the humanitarian field, reviewing their laws to make sure that the policies, legislation and procedures are in line with the Sendai framework, that they are climate-smart, so they are also bringing together the whole of society, so everyone is well aware of the risks and how to mitigate them, and how to respond to the rising effects of climate change,” Ms Martinez said.

“Advocacy is at the core of what we do. We call it humanitarian diplomacy, a form of advocacy, and definitely supporting our government authorities to comply with those global or international commitments, such as the Paris Agreement, and the various specific commitments that our government have signed for,” Ms Martinez stated.

The IFRS has developed various tools such as checklists and handbooks in supporting national societies and authorities in reviewing laws and procedures for effective climate smart legislation.

As the first workshop comes to an end this evening, the second workshop will gather government representatives and regional and international organisations including the African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) alongside the national societies, for engagement on working together towards developing enhancing climate resilience in island states, through disaster laws.

The two workshops present an opportunity for the participants to exchange on best practices for the implementation on disaster risk management laws and policies and climate change adaptation. Within the short-term, it is also expected to support participants’ upcoming engagement at COP 27, the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference to be held on November 7 to 18, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

With regard to the Seychelles national society’s position for advocacy, President of the RCSS, Kisnan Tamatave, said he is satisfied with the partnership with the administration, and the role that RCSS can play in pushing for climate resilient legislation in future.

“The workshop will help us to better understand disaster law, and for us to communicate better when advocating. Advocacy is voicing out on behalf of the citizens, and citizens are feeling the impacts of climate change even on their dinner plates today. Even the cost of living is increasing, and this can be attributed to climate change.”

“The RCSS is playing its role, and government recognises our auxiliary role in humanitarian services. Even with the National Assembly, we have a very fruitful relationship which means that we can influence certain legislation, as well as having a close working relationship with the Disaster Risk Management Division (DRDM),” Mr Tamatave added.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its recent report, people and communities in small island states are more affected by climate disasters, with humanitarian crises being more prone to occur as disasters are rising in frequency and severity.

IFRC Disaster Law works with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and governments to strengthen disaster risk governance, through the development and implementation of disaster and emergency related legislation, policies and procedures.

Laura Pillay

Photos by Louis Toussaint