The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is a United Nations organisation that was formed in December 1991 from General Assembly Resolution 46/182. The resolution was designed to strengthen the UN response to complex emergencies and natural disasters by creating the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA), and replacing the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator, which had been formed in 1972. OCHA was the result of a 1998 reorganisation of the DHA and was designed to be the UN focal point on major disasters. Its mandate was also expanded to include the coordination of humanitarian response, policy development and humanitarian advocacy.

The OCHA has some 860 staff, distributed in New York City, Geneva and in the field. Its 2005 budget was some USD 110 million, mostly received directly from UN member states. OCHA is headed by the Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, currently Mr. Jan Egeland. OCHA created the Integrated Regional Information Networks project in late 1995 to provide information targeted for those working on humanitarian emergencies.

External link

• The OCHA official web site

United Nations specialized agencies

Oficina de Coordinación de Asuntos Humanitarios | UNOCHA | மனிதாபிமானப் பணிகளை ஒருங்கமைக்கும் அலுவலகம்