Vani Catanasiga, the coordinator of the Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS), has raised concerns regarding the government’s plan to create a national register for humanitarian actors and disaster risk management volunteers. Her comments come in response to the introduction of the National Disaster Risk Management Bill in Parliament, which proposes the establishment of a Fiji cluster system to coordinate humanitarian organizations and a disaster response volunteer registry.
While she supports the proposed legislation, Catanasiga is questioning whether government responders are subject to the same standards as civil society organizations and community volunteers. She stated, “FCOSS also feels the new Bill promotes our accountability as non-State actors and development partners. What we are curious about is whether government responders are also held to the same standards as CSOs and community volunteer responders.”
Catanasiga highlighted that the humanitarian actor registry aims to ensure better response standards specific to individuals while the disaster risk management volunteer organization registry targets volunteer groups. She emphasized the need for a mechanism that would hold civil servants accountable to the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) as they execute their official duties.
She believes the proposed Bill would be significantly strengthened if it also included provisions for state responders. “FCOSS, who recently joined the CHS Alliance, believes that if the Act also covers registration for civil service responders, it is robust enough to deliver on its objectives. Without that — I’m afraid the Bill will fall short,” she warned.
The Bill was presented to Parliament by Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure, chairperson of the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights. He explained that the Fiji cluster system would enhance coordination among humanitarian actors and require volunteer organizations to formally register their participation in disaster response efforts. “The aim is to provide a protective framework for volunteers, safeguarding them from any potential violations during their participation in disaster response efforts,” Ratu Rakuita noted.