OCHA has been present in Zimbabwe since January, 2006 with the aim of coordinating effective and principled humanitarian action. OCHA works on four core functions: alleviate human suffering in Zimbabwe caused by food insecurity, HIV/AIDS, and rapid decline in social services; promotion of preparedness and prevention efforts to reduce future vulnerability to natural disasters; advocating for the rights of people in need; and facilitating sustainable solutions to address root causes.

Zimbabwe faces tremendous challenges, many of which are similar to those experienced in other countries in Southern Africa, i.e. rapid decline in public institutional capacity for social services delivery, food insecurity and HIV and AIDS. Zimbabwe however faces additional challenges emanating from the country’s policy actions, which have led to differences with her international partners, and which have further resulted in widening and deepening vulnerabilities.

 

The main factors that are contributing to the trend of deepening vulnerability of population include:

• The HIV and AIDS pandemic;
• The restructuring of the agricultural sector and its impact on food security and livelihoods;
• The depleted capacity in the social and health service sectors;
• The sustained economic decline over the last five years

 

These factors are interrelated, and their combined effect has led to a significant reduction in the quality of life for the population as well as in the ability of Zimbabwe to reach its MDG targets.

 

OCHA strategises to continue

• to promote the humanitarian principles through training of the various actors, regular field visits, consultations with various actors and advocacy

• Improve the humanitarian protection to vulnerable people and to other marginalized groups through principled assessments, response and advocacy
• Establish with all the stakeholders a disaster preparedness strategy (Early warning, action preparedness and response

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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.

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.