LEGISLATION

Bolivia
Law for Risk Reduction and Disaster Response

On 25 October 2000, at the Presidential Palace of the city of La Paz, Bolivia, the new bill for Risk Reduction and Disaster Response was signed into law. Its main objective is to regulate all activities related to risk reduction and emergency and disaster response, to establish an efficient institutional framework for reducing the vulnerability of the country’s social and economic structures, and to respond in a timely fashion to natural, technological, and manmade disasters.

The law sets the responsibilities of all bodies involved in disaster reduction and response at the national, departmental, and municipal level. It also creates the national Risk Reduction, Emergency and Disaster Response System (SISRADE), an organic, integrated set of structures, functional ties, methods and procedures used by public and private institutions and civil society organizations, and outlines the physical, technical, scientific, financial and human resources of the bodies that make up the System, each of which, in its own ambit, will act autonomously but collaboratively to reach the goals defined by the law.

The National Council for Risk Reduction and Emergency and Disaster Response (CONARADE) is the highest decision-making and coordination body. It is headed by the President of the Republic and includes representatives from the ministries of National Defense, Sustainable Development and Planning, and the Interior, as well as the Treasury and the President’s Office.

Its mandate will be carried out by the Ministry of National Defense through the National Civil Defense Service (SENADECI), which will be in charge of preparedness, emergency warnings to the population, and the coordination of response and rehabilitation activities in order to prevent and reduce loss of life, property and infrastructure.

By law, all government offices and officials must collaborate in the preparation of Development Plans and Land-Use Management Plans under the guidance of the National Planning System (SISPLAN). All planning activities must incorporate a Disaster Reduction component.

The new law also establishes the Fund for Risk Reduction and Reactivation, under the control of the President’s Office, which will be ultimately responsible through the National Funding System for the management of funds.

In terms of information management, an Integrated Risk Reduction and Emergency and Disaster Response Information System has been established. It will be SISRADE’s responsibility to promote the incorporation of a disaster reduction component into all existing sectoral information systems, so that the overall Information System can operate at peak efficiency at the national, departmental, and municipal level.

For more information and the full text of the law, please visit:
www.crid.or.cr