What is Coordination?
OCHA is responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to
emergencies. The aim is to assist people when they most need relief or protection. A key pillar of the
OCHA mandate is to “coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with
national and international actors”.
Humanitarian coordination seeks to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian response by ensuring
greater predictability, accountability and partnership. OCHA is leading the international community's
efforts to develop a better architecture for the humanitarian system, including strong in-country
humanitarian leaders (Humanitarian Coordinators); representative and inclusive Humanitarian Country
Teams; an effective and well-coordinated framework within which all humanitarian organizations can
contribute systematically; and predictable funding tools.
OCHA plays a key role in operational coordination in crisis situations. This includes assessing situations
and needs; agreeing common priorities; developing common strategies to address issues such as
negotiating access, mobilizing funding and other resources; clarifying consistent public messaging; and
monitoring progress.
OCHA's role is to support the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator and to ensure effective
coordination, including strengthening the cluster approach, data and information management, and
reporting.
By ensuring that the right structures, partnerships and leaders are supported, OCHA and its
humanitarian partners can better prepare for and more effectively coordinate humanitarian situations.
OCHA serves as the secretariat for critical inter-agency coordination mechanisms such as the InterAgency Standing Committee, rapid-response tools, such as the United Nations Disaster Assessment and
Coordination system, and the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group. OCHA also promotes
efficient interaction between civilian and military actors in humanitarian operations, bridges gaps in
environmental emergency management, and maps global emergency relief stockpiles on behalf of the
whole humanitarian community.
The key to effective response is the state of preparedness in advance of a crisis. OCHA promotes the
value of preparedness in lessening the impact of disasters on vulnerable communities, especially in
disaster-prone countries. OCHA works with national governments, regional bodies and other agencies
on implementing and testing measures that help save lives in an emergency. OCHA also provides tools
such as contingency planning, hazard mapping and early warning reports.
Working through its regional and country offices, OCHA deploys staff at short notice to emergencies. It
also supports several surge-capacity mechanisms and networks that enable the broader humanitarian
community to respond rapidly to disasters and conflicts.