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OCHA is led by the New York-based Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, who also serves as the Emergency Relief Coordinator (USG/ERC). The USG/ERC is the principal adviser to the Secretary-General on humanitarian affairs. As such, he acts as a facilitator and catalyst for action between the humanitarian community and intergovernmental organs of the UN as well as the political, security, developmental and human rights elements of the UN system.
In an onset of a natural disaster, the USG/ERC:
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serves as the primary interface between the larger humanitarian community and the principal organs of the UN, such as the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in helping advance humanitarian concerns and giving a voice to the victims of disasters and emergencies;
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plays a key role in liaising with the other Secretariat departments and the funds, programmes and specialized agencies of the UN system on issues of common concern, such as security, political issues, human rights and development, in order to ensure that humanitarian needs are being met effectively and in a coordinated and sustainable manner.
Within the UN system, the USG/ERC convenes Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs (ECHA), which is the internal forum to share perspective on humanitarian crises and issues and, on the basis of these discussions, inform and advise the Secretary-General.
Another forum used by the USG is the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), which brings together a broad range of UN and other humanitarian partners, including agencies, NGOs, and international organizations such as the World Bank and the Red Cross Movement. The IASC is a primary mechanism for facilitating inter-agency decision-making on the response to complex emergencies and natural disasters.
Public awareness is one of the major activity handled at the New York headquarters. As such, the USG/ERC, through OCHA's Advocacy and Information Management Branch, uses all available forums to galvanize support to a stricken country/region. This may include statements at the UN noon briefings, interviews, public appearances, statements, press releases, etc. Further, OCHA provides information through its internet facilities - OCHA OnLine, ReliefWeb and IRIN, as well as the Central Registry based in Geneva.
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