CASE No - Inter-Parliamentary Union

- 9 - CL/183/SR.1
written to all parliaments to encourage them to conduct activities on that day to highlight the
central role of parliaments in democracy. The response to that invitation had been truly
spectacular. The report described IPU activities with respect to human rights and promotion of
gender equality and women’s participation in politics, and also contained a section on financial
aspects.
On the question of the work of the Members of the IPU, he said that Members were
obliged to report on the activities they conducted to follow up to work done in the context of
the IPU. They had been asked to focus on three issues: the role of parliaments in ensuring
respect for and peaceful co-existence between all religious communities and beliefs in a
globalized world; natural disasters: the role of parliaments in prevention, rehabilitation,
reconstruction and the protection of vulnerable groups; and on follow-up to the IPU resolution
on missing persons. The report (CL/183/5-R.2) contained responses from 50 parliaments, and
further responses, including from the Parliaments of Croatia and Gabon, had been received
after the report had gone to print. It was increasingly apparent that the work on IPU resolutions
did not end at the close of the Assembly, but was continued by each parliament. The report
gave interesting examples of legislative decisions made with contributions from IPU
recommendations. The work of the Members was undertaken in partnership with international
organizations, and in that regard the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC) had been involved in follow-up to resolutions that called for action in respect
of disaster preparedness.
Mr. I. Osman, Deputy Secretary General, International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said that the work of the IPU had long been of great
importance to the IFRC, and never more so than in the current situation of increasing disasters
and humanitarian crises around the world, caused mainly by the effects of climate change. The
IFRC was the world’s largest humanitarian network, which deployed over 20 million active
volunteers in 186 countries and territories around the world, to improve the lives of vulnerable
people and empower them to mitigate the effects of emergencies.
Over the years the Federation had found much in common with the IPU, in light of the
consistent interest in humanitarian concerns and preparing for issues relating to disasters.
Parliamentarians had a critical role to play in establishing the legal foundations for an active
disaster response. One aspect of disaster response that had not been given due attention was
the role of national law in respect of the receipt of international assistance when it was
needed. Without the relevant laws in place, urgent relief could be delayed or blocked by rules
regarding visas, customs, tax and transport. The IFRC had been considering that issue for some
years, in light of the problems it had faced in delivering relief.
In 2003 the IPU had acknowledged the worth of the IFRC in a resolution, and had called
on parliaments to make use of the Federation’s resources. Moreover, in 2005, the IPU had
adopted a resolution calling on States to recognize the importance of an international
framework to govern the provision of humanitarian assistance. In November 2007, during the
International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, the States parties to the Geneva
Conventions and the components of the Red Cross Red Crescent movement had unanimously
adopted guidelines for the domestic facilitation and regulation of disaster relief and initial
recovery assistance. The guidelines constituted a practical tool offering recommendations to
lawmakers to increase legal preparedness for international disaster assistance. The next step
was in the hands of lawmakers, who must consider the use of those guidelines in their national
contexts. The Federation and members of national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies were
ready to assist in that task. It was crucial to build on past cooperation, in order to ensure an
appropriate response the next time disaster struck.