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The United Nations System Through the major UN bodies and its associated programs, the United Nations has established a presence in most countries throughout the world, and fostered partnerships with Member State governments. Though over 70% of UN work is devoted to development activities, there are several other issues that are central in their mission, including that of disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) The UNDP was established in 1965 during the UN Decade of Development to conduct investigations into private investment in developing countries, to explore the natural resources of those countries, and to train the local population in development activities such as mining and manufacturing. Historically, the UNDP was not considered an agency on the forefront of the crisis and disaster management scene because, while they worked on development issues, they did not focus specifically on emergency response systems, considered to be the focal point of crisis and disaster management for many years.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was created under the UN Secretary- General’s Program for Reform in 1998, to accommodate the needs of victims of disasters and emergencies. Their specific role in the broad range of disaster management tasks is to coordinate assistance provided by the UN system in emergencies that exceed the capacity and mandate of any individual agency. The OCHA response to disasters can be categorized under three main groupings, including the coordination of the international humanitarian response, the provision of support and policy development to the humanitarian community, and the advocating of humanitarian issues to ensure that that the overall direction of relief reflects the general needs of recovery and peace-building.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) In the situations of disaster or armed conflict where this is the case, UNICEF is well poised to serve an immediate role as aid-provider to its specific target groups. This rapid response is important, because young mothers and children are often the most marginalized groups in terms of aid received. UNICEF works on a regular basis to ensure that children have access to education, healthcare, safety, and protected child rights. In the response and recovery periods of humanitarian emergencies, it is these roles that are merely expanded to suit the rapidly extended requirements of

victims. In countries where UNICEF has not yet established a permanent presence, the form of aid is virtually the same, however the timing and delivery are affected and reconstruction is not nearly as comprehensive.