Since it first co-ordinated humanitarian relief
operations in Europe following the Second World War, the United Nations has
been relied on by the international community to respond to natural and man-made
disasters that are beyond the capacity of national authorities alone.
Today, the UN is a major provider of emergency
relief and longer-term assistance, a catalyst for action by governments and
relief agencies, and an advocate on behalf of people struck by emergencies.
Emergencies
In the last decade, civil wars have become a central cause of emergency situations.
In 2000 alone, millions were uprooted from their homes by war. Natural disasters — floods,
droughts, storms and earthquakes — killed more than 50,000 people and
caused economic losses exceeding $90 billion in 1998. More than 90 per cent
of all disaster victims live in developing countries — a striking indicator
of the degree to which poverty, population pressures and environmental degradation
exacerbate suffering and destruction.
The United Nations has responded on two fronts. On one hand it has sought to
bring immediate relief to the victims, primarily through its operational agencies;
on the other hand, it has sought more effective strategies to prevent emergencies
from arising in the first place.
Assistance
When disaster strikes, the United Nations and its agencies rush to deliver humanitarian
assistance. In 2000 alone, the Office for Co-Ordination of Human Affairs launched
16 inter-agency appeals that raised more than $1.4 billion to assist 35 million
people in 16 countries and regions. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees provides
international protection and assistance to over 22 million refugees and displaced
persons. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA) provides education, health, and relief and social services to 3.8 million
registered Palestine refugees. The World Food Programme delivers one third of
the world’s emergency food assistance, saving millions of lives.
Prevention
Disaster prevention seeks to reduce the vulnerability of societies to disaster,
and to address their man-made causes. Early warning is especially important for
short-term prevention, and agencies are increasing their capacity in this area
-- from monitoring impending famines to carrying out tropical cyclone forecasting
and drought monitoring. The UN Development Programme assists disaster-prone countries
in developing contingency planning and other preparedness measures.
Conflict prevention strategies address the root causes of war in a comprehensive
manner. They foster security, economic growth, good governance and respect for
human rights—which remain the best protection against disaster, whether
natural or, as is increasingly the case, man-made.
