OCHA on Message:

General Assembly resolution 46/182 What is General Assembly resolution 46/182? 1

When the international During the Gulf War, the and renamed it the
humanitarian community UN’s humanitarian Emergency Relief
provides emergency assistance to conflict- Coordinator (ERC). The
assistance, it is guided by displaced people was DRC role had a limited
UN General Assembly uncoordinated and led to mandate that did not include
resolution 46/182 duplicated efforts. This complex emergencies. GA
“Strengthening of the highlighted the need for an resolution 46/182 helped
coordination of humanitarian organization with the remedy this gap by creating
emergency assistance of the specific mandate to the ERC position with nine
United Nations”. The coordinate assistance to areas of responsibility. They
resolution outlines a affected people in include coordinating
framework for humanitarian emergencies. humanitarian assistance,
assistance and a set of GA resolution 46/182 facilitating access to
guiding principles. emergency areas,
established new
The General Assembly arrangements for organizing needs-
adopted the resolution on 19 humanitarian coordination. It assessment missions,
December 1991. This strengthened the existing preparing joint appeals and
decision was influenced by position of the UN Disaster mobilizing resources, among
others.
world events at that time. Relief Coordinator (DRC)

The resolution includes 12 guiding principles for humanitarian Resolution 46/182 also
assistance, which include the following: established the Inter-
Agency Standing
Humanitarian assistance Each State has the
Committee (IASC), the
must be provided in responsibility first and
accordance with the foremost to take care of Central Emergency
principles of humanity, the victims of natural Revolving Fund (which in
neutrality and disasters and other 2005 became the Central
2
impartiality. emergencies occurring Emergency Response
on its territory. Fund - CERF) and the
The sovereignty,
territorial integrity and States whose Consolidated Appeal
national unity of States populations are in need Process (CAP). These
must be fully respected of humanitarian mechanisms have all
in accordance with the assistance are called been refined and
Charter of the United upon to facilitate the expanded, and are
Nations. In this context, work of these important elements of
humanitarian assistance organizations in the current humanitarian
should be provided with implementing system (see OCHA on
the consent of the humanitarian assistance Message CAP and
affected country […] […]
OCHA on Message
CERF).
Recommending reform
The Department of released a report on advocacy role. Thus, in
Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) reforming the United 1998 DHA was transformed
3
was created in 1992 to Nations. It recommended into the Office for the
support the new that DHA transfer some of Coordination of
humanitarian coordination its operational Humanitarian Affairs
arrangements. However, in responsibilities to other UN (OCHA). Resolution 46/182
1997 the then UN Secretary- entities, while strengthening remains the basis of
General, Kofi Annan, its coordination and OCHA’s mandate.

1
For a detailed review of the normative evolution of humanitarian coordination, please visit:
www.unocha.org/what-we-do/policy/thematic-areas/OCHAs-work-with-governments
2
The principle of independence was added to these principles by UN General Assembly resolution 58/114, 2003.
3
A/51/950 Renewing the United Nations: A programme for reform. Report of the Secretary-General, 14 July 1997.
“This year also
marks the 20th
What is OCHA’s role?
anniversary of Each year, Member States years, the resolutions have below). The guide is
General Assembly negotiate a number of added detail on issues intended to help Member
humanitarian resolutions in including field-level State delegations, OCHA
resolution 46/182,
the General Assembly, the coordination, CERF, civil- staff and other humanitarian
which remains the Economic and Social military coordination, professionals to understand
common basis for Council and the Security protection of civilians, the existing framework. It
the provision of Council. These humanitarian common needs also encourages an
resolutions build on GA assessments, and the safety accountable and effective
humanitarian
resolution 46/182 and add to and security of humanitarian humanitarian response in
assistance. In the the norms and guidance that personnel. accordance with
resolution, Member support humanitarian action. In 2009, OCHA published a humanitarian principles. A
States set out the During the negotiations, reference guide that gives revised version will be
OCHA advises Member an overview of changes in published by the end of
principles that
States on the challenges to 2011.
resolutions on humanitarian
guide humanitarian humanitarian assistance and assistance and coordination
work, whether it is coordination. Over the over the years (see link
undertaken by
States, the United What does OCHA say?
Nations, or other
humanitarian
1. General Assembly 3. Effective humanitarian 4. OCHA and the wider
agencies such as resolution 46/182 created a action in accordance with humanitarian community
the International framework for humanitarian humanitarian principles is a must continue to respect,
assistance and coordination. shared responsibility. OCHA adhere to and promote the
Red Cross and Red
aims to support Member guiding principles for
Crescent
Movement and 2. In 2011, the
States and national and
international humanitarian
humanitarian assistance
enshrined in General
humanitarian community stakeholders to ensure Assembly resolution 46/182
non-governmental
celebrated 20 years of GA effective emergency and subsequent resolutions.
organizations.” resolution 46/182 and its preparedness, and
achievements. coordinated and timely
- Valerie Amos,
Under-Secretary-
emergency response.
General for Major
Humanitarian Affairs General Assembly resolution 2816 DHA Humanitarian
events
and Emergency Relief introduces the UN Office of the DHA becomes Reform
Disaster Relief Coordinator in Geneva established OCHA introduced
Coordinator.
1971 1992 1998 2005
Opening remarks for
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
the ECOSOC
1991 1994 2011
Humanitarian Affairs Twentieth anniver-
General Assembly resolution IASC approves
Segment, 2011. 46/182 introduces the ERC role, terms of reference sary of General
CAP, CERF and IASC for Humanitarian Assembly resolution
Coordinators 46/182

To find out more

Contact: To see all General Assembly resolutions, visit www.un.org/en/documents/index.shtml
Kate Burns, (using the “search” field).
Reference Guide on normative developments on the coordination of humanitarian
Policy
assistance in the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and the Security
Development and
Council since the adoption of General Assembly resolution 46/182:
Studies Branch
http://ochaonline.un.org/OchaLinkClick.aspx?link=ocha&docId=1112153
[email protected]
An analysis of normative developments in humanitarian resolutions since the adoption of
General Assembly resolution 46/182:
Mar 2012 http://ochaonline.un.org/OchaLinkClick.aspx?link=ocha&docId=1112151

OCHA on Message is a reference product that enables staff to communicate OCHA’s position on key issues.
For more information contact the Reporting Unit at [email protected].