BOLD legislative frameworks are urgently needed to improve the efficiency of disaster risk management in the country to save lives.
The Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Bill has been in the pipeline since 2023.
Addressing delegates and stakeholders during an all-stakeholder conference on the DRM Bill organised by ActionAid Zimbabwe in partnership with the Department of Civil Protection, Local Government and Public Works minister Daniel Garwe said the reccurring disasters were a wake-up call for robust legislative frameworks.
“Globally, the past two decades have seen some of the worst disasters recorded,” he said.
“Tropical storms, floods, droughts and earthquakes have caused massive loss of lives, livelihoods, property and infrastructure setting back development achievements across the globe.”
Added Garwe: “Closer home, we have witnessed a number of disasters of a catastrophic nature such as the 2016 El Niño-induced drought, Cyclone Elinein 2000.
“It is, therefore, imperative that disaster risk governance be comprehensively strengthened by updating and realigning legislative frameworks, policies, strategies, plans and institutional arrangements that provide the foundation for disaster risk reduction.”
He said strengthening disaster risk governance was one of the four priorities of action set out in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
“The DRM Bill should seek to establish a disaster risk management system that is anticipatory, proactive, inclusive and accountable,” Garwe said.
“The Bill should point to financing options for disaster risk management to facilitate allocation of resources to lower tiers of government which are impacted most by disasters as well as ensure that all stakeholders are involved in disaster management decision-making processes, including persons with disabilities and marginalised communities.”
