Evolving international disaster law and gender-inclusive approach: addressing colonial legacies and local biases

In light of the increase in the frequency of disasters, exacerbated by climate change, this paper engages with the need for a holistic disaster management law that harmonises international regulations with local knowledge systems. Using gender inclusivity as a case study, the paper critically evaluates the evolving international law of disaster management, which includes principles from international human rights law and the ILC Draft Articles on the management of disasters. While stressing the need to decolonise the processes of knowledge production, the paper asserts that addressing biases that may be present in local cultural traditions is equally important. It underscores the importance of aligning international law of disaster management with local knowledge and cultural practices, and highlights the dangers of ignoring such an alignment. A gendered perspective helps to address the issue of inclusivity within both colonial perspectives and structural biases in local cultural traditions. Integrating disaster response mechanisms through a combination of international and local knowledge systems and acknowledging the varied roles of women in disasters can thus bring forth a body of knowledge that would lead to a more effective disaster response system without marginalising vulnerable populations.