UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

Published purpose

On January 12, 2010, a massive earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale rocked Port-au-Prince, the capital of the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti. It is estimated that up to 3,000,000 people have been affected by the disaster, either through injury or through loss of access to life-sustaining necessities such as food, water, sanitation services, and shelter. Through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) is responsible for the provision of coordinated safety and security services for the overall response by UN and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to the earthquake in Haiti. UNDSS provides ongoing security assessments to UN agencies and NGOs, security briefings and clearances for incoming humanitarian workers, and psychosocial support and stress counselling for workers affected by the disaster.