OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort.

OCHA’s mission is to:

– Mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies.

– Advocate the rights of people in need.

– Promote preparedness and prevention.

– Facilitate sustainable solutions.

OCHA is its people. From over 30 offices around the world, some 1,900 specialized and dedicated OCHA staff work to ensure that effective assistance reaches millions of humanitarian beneficiaries in four continents.

The aim is to assist people when they most need relief or protection. A key pillar of the OCHA mandate is to “coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors”.

Humanitarian coordination seeks to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian response by ensuring greater predictability, accountability and partnership. OCHA is leading the international community’s efforts to develop a better architecture for the humanitarian system, including strong in-country humanitarian leaders; representative and inclusive Humanitarian Country Teams; an effective and well-coordinated framework within which all humanitarian organizations can contribute systematically; and predictable funding tools.

The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to four ‘L3’ emergencies, Iraq, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen. In addition, OCHA is coordinating the response in Nepal and other critical humanitarian operations.

For more information about OCHA, please visit this website.