Laws and regulations
Strengthening legal frameworks to enable early and effective action and prevent epidemics
Challenge
Without strong legal frameworks, governments lack the authority to act quickly against public health threats, putting lives and livelihoods at risk.
Solution
We partner with governments and civil society organizations to strengthen legal frameworks, aligning laws with international standards and local needs.
Impact
Stronger laws enable governments to detect, report and respond to infectious disease outbreaks faster, protecting communities and preventing epidemics.
What are health security laws and regulations?
When a health threat emerges, governments need the legal authority to act immediately. Without it, response efforts stall and outbreaks that could be contained spiral into larger crises.
Strong legal frameworks lay the groundwork for preparedness long before an outbreak begins. The right laws enable governments to:
- Investigate cases and share data across borders
- Direct resources quickly to where they’re needed
- Hold multiple sectors accountable for health security
- Fund preparedness activities outside of emergencies
- Coordinate outbreak response across sectors
- Require reporting on priority diseases
A framework designed for one legal system may not function in another. Effective legal reform connects international obligations such as the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) to each country’s own legal traditions, structures and national priorities.
Highlights
How health security laws and regulations work
The International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) outline the rights and obligations of each sovereign state. In order to be effective, this international legally binding instrument requires countries to align their domestic laws with its obligations. Those who do so proactively score higher on Joint External Evaluations (JEEs) and State Party Self-Assessments (SPARs). Higher scores reflect real improvements in a country’s ability to prevent, detect and respond to health threats.
What makes a law effective
Based on our experience across dozens of countries, effective public health emergency laws share key traits. Our guide, 12 characteristics of an effective public health emergency law, outlines these in full. Strong laws typically:
- Define clear roles and responsibilities across government
- Enable rapid activation of emergency powers with appropriate oversight
- Allow for flexible, evidence-based decision-making
- Protect and support healthcare workers
- Establish financing mechanisms for preparedness and response
How RTSL supports legal reform
Our legal reform methodology supports governments in moving from assessment to action. We support countries to map and assess existing legal frameworks, validate findings through multisectoral consultation, develop reform roadmaps, draft and revise legislation and strengthen implementation and monitoring.
By combining technical legal expertise with stakeholder engagement, capacity building and policy dialogue, we support governments to build stronger legal foundations for health security and improve their ability to prevent outbreaks from becoming epidemics.
Our team of multilingual legal advisors and embedded consultants works within each country’s own National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS). Rather than applying a single template, we adapt international standards to each country’s legal traditions and context. We support governments through:
- Mapping and assessment: identifying gaps, inconsistencies and barriers in existing legislation
- Stakeholder engagement: convening governments, civil society organizations, regional bodies and international organizations to validate findings and build consensus
- Drafting and revision: working alongside national counterparts to translate public health priorities into clear, enforceable legal language
- Passage and implementation: supporting governments in navigating legislative processes, building political will and planning for enforcement
Our legal work connects directly to other Resolve to Save Lives priorities, including subnational legislation, infection prevention and control, public health emergency operations centers and epidemic preparedness financing. Strong laws tie these efforts together and make each one more effective.
