Flash appeal
In response to a time-bound emergency situation and based on a request for international assistance by the affected country, the OCHA office will support the RC, operational agencies, NGOs and partners to mobilise emergency resources by putting together a flash appeal. A flash appeal should be issued immediately after the emergency and has a maximum coverage of 6 months. Interventions that are included need to be completed within that time frame. A flash appeal may be upgraded into a consolidated appeal if the emergency continues beyond six months. Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP)
OCHA Office can help to put together a consolidated appeal in response of an emergency situation. CAP is a tool used by aid organizations to provide a framework for joint strategic planning and prioritisation, coordination, fund implementation, monitoring their activities and through this process to mobilise resources for a country or region. The process helps to develop a more thoughtful and thorough approach to humanitarian action.
Situation reporting
Issuance of OCHA Situation Reports to alert and inform the international community on the impact of the disaster and, inter alia, the needs for international assistance. Situation reports are distributed to a list of potential donors and are published on http://www.reliefweb.int. Humanitarian donors mobilise their assistance and use situations reports as one of the info bases upon which they may contact OCHA or the Resident Coordinator for further information.
Emergency cash grants
Provision of an emergency cash grant to disaster-stricken countries. If the government appeals for/welcomes international assistance, OCHA can make available immediately after the occurrence of the disaster, up to USD 100, 000 through the Office of the United Nations RC/HC. Emergency reserve funds pre-positioned with OCHA by donor governments can be provided in addition to this grant.
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
The CERF is a stand-by fund up to USD 500 million established by the United Nations to enable more timely and reliable humanitarian assistance to victims of natural disasters and armed conflicts. The CERF provides seed funds to jump-start critical operations and fund life-saving programmes not yet covered by other donors. The Fund is intended to complement existing humanitarian funding mechanisms such as the Flash Appeal and UN Consolidated Appeals. The Fund is managed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), Head of OCHA, and has a grant component of USD 450 million and a loan component of USD 50 million. The grant component has two windows; one for rapid response and one for under-funded emergencies. Under the rapid response window a maximum of USD 30 million can be allocated per emergency. Projects funded under this window need to be committed within 3 months. The HC/RC recommends the use of the CERF, identifies priority life saving needs by consulting humanitarian partners and submits package of proposals based on assessed needs. The OCHA Office in Almaty can assist the RC/HC in ensuring that the CERF request follows the established guidelines. Upon approval by the ERC, funds are disbursed directly to the eligible agencies (http://cerf.un.org).
