|
Humanitarian coordination is based on the belief that a coherent approach to emergency response will maximize its benefits and minimize its potential pitfalls - in short, that the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts.
(More on OCHA's coordination role...) |
There are a number of tools and services developed and maintained by OCHA and its partners that enable response within hours of a disaster:
UNDAC (United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination)
Within hours of a disaster, an UNDAC team, comprised of qualified and specially trained national emergency management experts, staff from humanitarian organisations as well as OCHA staff, all on permanent stand-by, can be deployed within 12-24 hours of the occurrence of a disaster. The UNDAC system is administered by OCHA's Field Coordination Support Section (FCSS). The UNDAC teams are composed and deployed by FCSS to disaster situations in assistance to the affected government and the international community. Their primary task is to gather information and, upon request, assess needs during the first phase of a sudden-onset disaster. Depending on the magnitude of the disaster and requirements for coordination among the incoming international organisations, the UNDAC team can establish an On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC). UNDAC teams typically remain deployed for three to four weeks, after which they hand over to the Government or longer-term mandated UN entities. (More...)
OSOCC (On-Site Operations Coordination Centre)
Natural disaster response can involve a large number of actors in a rapidly evolving emergency situation and when a need for coordination of assets occurs, OCHA may establish OSOCCs. The OSOCC will support local authorities in coordinating the activities of international relief providers. These centres are actual physical locations, open to the humanitarian community, acting as coordination nerve centres and meeting places for information exchange. In addition, a web-based virtual coordination centre, or Virtual OSOCC, provides real-time information that can be used by organizations and governments to keep updated on the emergency situation, identify needs and plan ongoing response activities. Access to Virtual OSOCCs is limited to OCHA disaster managers, INSARAG members, military and government response organizations, UN agencies and the Red Cross Movement. (More...)
Civil Military Coordination (CMCoord)
During both disasters and emergencies, governments often assist in the response to humanitarian crises by contributing military assets and services - airplanes, helicopters, airstrips, communication equipment, medical support and security services - to facilitate relief efforts.
OCHA ensures the most effective use of Military and Civil Defence Asssets (MCDA) in humanitarian operations by facilitating the interaction between the humanitarian and military actors of a relief operation. OCHA will serve as the focal point for the mobilization and deployment of these assets and will act as a direct liaison between the humanitarian and military communities during a humanitarian relief operation. This involves identifying and deploying UN CM Coord Officers who are trained in civil-military coordination and who have a civilian-humanitarian or military background to support the RC/HC. (More...)
INSARAG (International Search and Rescue Advisory Group)
INSARAG is the network used by OCHA to facilitate, mobilize and coordinate international urban Search and Rescue teams (SARs) dispatched by governments to assist in the rescue of people trapped under collapsed urban structures following disasters such as earthquakes. OCHA's FCSS serves as the INSARAG secretariat and as such conducts trainings and coordinates the setting of international standards for response mechanisms. (More...)
UNHRD (United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot)
The United Nations maintains a warehouse of relief supplies in Brindisi, Italy. Though WFP administers the depot, OCHA uses it to maintain a stockpile of basic survival items, such as tents, blankets, kitchen sets, generators, water purification/distribution equipment and other supplies and tools donated by various governments. (More...)
Emergency Telecommunications
Expert technical advice and material support in telecommunications can strengthen field operations by improving early warning, mitigation and response. Under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, OCHA supports telecommunications in humanitarian situations, particularly for the safety and security of humanitarian personnel. (More...)
Information Services
OCHA manages several information services that each play a powerful role in ensuring that accurate information from the field reaches key decision-makers and the wider humanitarian community. They are:
- ReliefWeb - which has become a key source of information on natural disasters and complex emergencies for web users, including UN departments and agencies, NGOs, governments, donors, journalists and the public. ReliefWeb provides 24-hour coverage of relief, preparedness and prevention activities both complex emergencies and natural disasters worldwide, and acts as a gateway to documents and other sources of information related to humanitarian relief and assistance.
- IRIN - which is an independent humanitarian news service that provides unbiased reporting on humanitarian crises.
- Central Register - which is a database of available relief personnel and supplies at the disposal of the broad international community that ensures expeditious delivery of emergency humanitarian aid in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Included in the database are: a list of stockpiles for non-commerical equipment and supplies (food/shelter/water capabilities, transport, medical care); directories for search and rescue teams; national emergency response ofices; a register of available military and civil defense assets; and a roster of disaster management experts.
- OCHA OnLine - the corporate website of OCHA.
Cash Grants/Flash Appeal
In the aftermath of a natural disaster, at the request of the affected government, OCHA, through the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator, can provide emergency cash grants from its own reserves to meet immediate, specific relief needs, such as the purchase and transport of blankets, tents and tools.
OCHA also manages the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), consisting of contributions from governments, which will ensure a more predictable and timely response to natural disasters and complex emergencies.
When a major disaster requires larger sums, OCHA may issue emergency appeals in the form of flash appeals or donor alerts. These appeals are prepared in consultatation with OCHA's agency partners over the course of a few weeks and usually cover emergency requirements for a few months. (More...)
[More on Tools & Services]
|
How OCHA Responds
Role of the OCHA New York Office
Role of the OCHA Geneva Office
Role of the Field Offices
Resources
Humanitarian Appeals
An Overview of OCHA's Emergency Services
Report of the Secretary-General on the Implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (A/59/228)
General Assembly resolution on the Tsunami A/RES/59/279 Adopted 19 January 2005
Paper published at the Journal of International Affairs, Spring/Summer 2006, on "The uniqueness of international disaster response" by Arjun Katoch
OCHA Geneva Natural Disasters Highlights
Humanitarian Updates/ Situation Reports - www.reliefweb.int
Situation Reports
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
Press Releases
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
Links
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction: http://www.unisdr.org/
ReliefWeb: http://www.reliefweb.int
How to make donations to OCHA
OCHA Business Orientation Guide
|