OCHA can quickly deploy specialized humanitarian personnel to support efforts on the ground, particularly in situations where local capacity is overwhelmed, in response to a new or escalating humanitarian crisis.
Response to new humanitarian emergencies may come from a range of organizations and actors. These include governments, the United Nations system, international and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. They also include specialists in the different aspects of humanitarian response, such as search and rescue operations.
OCHA’s five core functions are coordination, advocacy, policy development, information management and humanitarian financing.