Humanitarian and Civil Society (HPD)

Australia works with the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) – a global fund that enables humanitarian partners to provide life-saving support and protection to people in need through rapid response when a new crisis emerges, and critical support to underfunded crises.

Australia works with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to support its vital work in mobilising and coordinating response to humanitarian emergencies for communities caught in crisis.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) protects the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and provides them with assistance. It works to promote and strengthen international humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles, in accordance with its special mandate.

The Australian Government's Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DART) are deployed to crises overseas to help save lives and return communities to normal.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade leads the Australian Government's responses to international humanitarian crises. Australia’s Humanitarian Policy outlines how Australia harnesses resources and expertise to better prepare for and respond to humanitarian crises, both in our region and across the world.

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is aimed at preventing new and reducing existing disaster risks as well as managing residual risk. DRR contributes to strengthening resilience and the achievement of risk-informed sustainable development. Every 1 dollar invested in DRR can save up to 8 dollars in post disaster recovery and loss.

Australia Assists is an Australian Government funded program that deploys technical specialists to work with governments, multilateral agencies and communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and the effects of conflict.