Public Law Studies Quarterly

Application of the doctrine of responsibility to protect in the International Disaster Response Law (IDRL)

Authors

Mousa Pasha-Bonyad 1
Nasrin Mossafa 2

1 Ph.D. Student, Public Law, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of International Relations, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2016.59470
Abstract
While in conditions of combat assistance to victims based on the provisions of binding humanitarian law often takes place easily, there are no similar provisions in terms of natural disasters. This legal vacuum provides a fertile ground for abuse of the traditional principles of sovereignty and non-intervention in order to prevent international relief. In the meantime, International Disaster Response Law as a new branch of Public International Law is looking to log-on in to the basics of humanitarian assistance provided in such events to fill the void. The doctrine of the responsibility to protect, seems as an appropriate justification for this purpose. The international community has yet to reach a consensus about the applicability of the aforementioned doctrine in cases of disaster. However, results of this study suggest that even if a consensus is reached by the international community, it will not create a significant and effective change in the international relief to the victims of such events by itself.

Keywords

Humanitarian law
human rights
international Disaster Response law
Natural disasters
responsibility to protect

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Public Law Studies Quarterly
Volume 46, Issue 3
Autumn 2016
Pages 511-532

  • Receive Date 21 April 2016
  • Revise Date 29 June 2016
  • Accept Date 25 July 2016

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