OCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Published purpose

8 March 2011 - 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 million people have been affected by the disaster, many of whom require ongoing humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)'s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate for the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention; and facilitate sustainable solutions. OCHA aims to continue to play a lead role in coordinating the international and local humanitarian activities to help ensure an efficient and effective response to humanitarian needs in Haiti. In addition to coordinating the response of humanitarian actors from planning to project implementation, OCHA manages and monitors the 2011 Consolidated Appeal and prepares the 2012 Consolidated Appeal in response to developments on the ground, supports inter-agency collaboration and the cluster approach, and facilitates resource mobilisation in support of relief efforts.