See Also: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)(encyclopedia)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Office of the (UNHCR)(encyclopedia)
united states department of veterans affairs(medicine)
united nations(medicine)
United Nations (UN)(encyclopedia)
United Nations(dictionary)
United Nations Resolution 242(encyclopedia)
United Nations Secretariat(encyclopedia)
United Nations Security Council(encyclopedia)
UNITED NATIONS Credit Union(finance)

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) (sh)




formerly (1972-92) Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator, (1992-98) United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs

Agency of the United Nations Secretariat, established in 1972 to coordinate international relief to countries struck by natural or other disaster.

Responding to requests from stricken states for disaster assistance, the OCHA directs UN assistance and mobilizes aid from nongovernmental organizations such as the International Red Cross. Since the 1980s it has emphasized disaster preparedness and prevention, and it has assisted in executing projects of the United Nations Development Programme.