For information on current disasters and humanitarian crises, please go to the following:
ReliefWeb – Clearinghouse for up-to-date information about major natural disasters. Launched in October 1996, ReliefWeb is administered by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
CIDI – Center for International Disaster Information – The Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) guides and informs the public, the diaspora and community groups, foreign embassies, nonprofits, corporations, and government officials on how to best help international disaster relief efforts through appropriate response. CIDI works to ensure that America’s generosity results in effective and efficient relief.
DARFUR & SUDAN
SaveDarfur – SaveDarfur is a coalition of over 180 national and regional organisations who stand together and unite their voices to raise public awareness and mobilize a massive response to the atrocities in Sudan’s western region of Darfur.
UN Sudan Information Gateway (SIG) – An information gateway serving the needs of the humanitarian community in Sudan. There are links to information for all sectors in Sudan: Darfur, Northern Sudan and Southern Sudan. Most are in PDF format.
FOOD
FreeRice – FreeRice is a non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Programme.
UN World Food Programme – The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. In emergencies, we get food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After the cause of an emergency has passed, we use food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. WFP is part of the United Nations system and is voluntarily funded.
UNITED NATIONS
UN Humanitarian Affairs – This is a gateway page coordinating links for the UN’s activities in humanitarian affairs. It includes links to UNHCR, UN OCHA and ReliefWeb.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide.
UN Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) – OCHA is the arm of the UN Secretariat that is responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort.
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.
J.E. CLARK
– 3 April 2011
GH CAMERON 