• alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies
• advocate for the rights of people in need
• promote preparedness and prevention
• facilitate sustainable solutions

Role and Area of Responsibility

Mode of Operation

The current OCHA Iraq office was established in May 2007 on the request of the HC. OCHA provides the sectors with a humanitarian mandate (Education, WatSan, Health & Nutrition, Housing & Shelter, Food Security and Protection) with common services and tools for effective and inclusive cross-sector coordination, particularly in the areas of information management, advocacy and resource mobilization, and disaster preparedness and response, in addition to being co-deputy lead of the Protection Sector Outcome Team. OCHA works in partnership with UN agencies, international organisations, international and national NGOs.

For more information on OCHA's activites, visit OCHA On-line.

In December 1991, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 46/182, designed to strengthen the United Nation's response to both complex emergencies and natural disasters. In addition, it aimed at improving the overall effectiveness of the UN's humanitarian operations in the field. 

The resolution also created the high level position of Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC).  This new function would combine into a single UN focal point the functions carried out by representatives of the Secretary-General for major and complex emergencies, as well as the UN's natural disaster functions carried out by the UN Disaster Relief Coordinator, UNDRO. 

Soon after, the Secretary-General established the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) and assigned the ERC the status of Under-Secretary-General (USG) for Humanitarian Affairs, with offices in New York and Geneva to provide institutional support.

Resolution 46/182 also created the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) and the Central Emergency Revolving Fund (CERF) as key coordination mechanisms and tools of the ERC.

As part of the Secretary-General's programme of reform in 1998, DHA was reorganized into the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA. Its mandate was expanded to include the coordination of humanitarian response, policy development and humanitarian advocacy.

OCHA carries out its coordination function primarily through the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, which is chaired by the ERC. Participants include all humanitarian partners, from UN agencies, funds and programmes to the Red Cross Movement and NGOs. The IASC ensures inter-agency decision-making in response to complex emergencies. These responses include needs assessments, consolidated appeals, field coordination arrangements and the development of humanitarian policies.

Budget and Staffing
The core functions of OCHA are supported by 860 staff members in New York, Geneva and in the field. OCHA's budget for 2007 was $165,000,000, of which about 10 percent or $11,141,561, comes from the regular UN budget and the remainder (more than $99 million, including projects and field activities) from extra-budgetary resources donated by Member States and donor organizations. 

See OCHA in 2006 for more details.

Emergency Relief Coordinator
The functions of the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) are focused in three core areas:

(a) policy development and coordination functions in support of the Secretary-General, ensuring that all humanitarian issues, including those which fall between gaps in existing mandates of agencies such as protection and assistance for internally displaced persons, are addressed;

(b) advocacy of humanitarian issues with political organs, notably the Security Council; and

(c) coordination of humanitarian emergency response, by ensuring that an appropriate response mechanism is established, through Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) consultations, on the ground.

John Holmes of Britian was appointed by the Secretary-General to replace Jan Egeland of  Norway as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. Mr. Holmes took up his post in March 2007.