Disasters Emergency Committee

Disasters Emergency Committee

The Disasters Emergency Committee is an umbrella group comprising fourteen UK charities. These charities are all associated with disaster related issues such as providing clean water, humanitarian aid and medical care.

The DEC was created in 1963. Chairman (as of 2011) is Clive Jones. DEC brings together a unique alliance of the UK's aid, corporate, public and broadcasting sectors to rally the nation's compassion, and ensure that funds raised go to DEC agencies best placed to deliver effective and timely relief to people most in need.

In the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, the committee provided 3000 telephone lines for people to give donations and ran television campaigns in order to obtain donations. It was instrumental in coordinating the efforts of the member charities so that all the areas affected received aid and that there was no duplication of effort in the services provided in any one area.

From 12 January 2010 to 31 July 2010, the DEC appealed for donations in support of humanitarian relief in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, raising a total of £100million.[1]

In July 2011 DEC accepted free advertising in the final edition of Rupert Murdoch's News of the World newspaper as the paper was closed in the aftermath of the News International phone hacking scandal.[citation needed] According to the BBC and ITV, both listed on DEC's website as part of DEC's "Rapid Response Network", most other charitable organisations approached declined the offer of free space citing reputational concerns over association with the title.[citation needed] A spokeswoman for DEC said although it in no way condoned the "unconscionable" behaviour of some News of the World journalists and executives, there was a "humanitarian imperative" for it to maximise income to help those affected by the drought developing in the Horn of Africa.[citation needed]


Member charities

References

  1. ^ http://www.dec.org.uk/item/433

External links

  • Official DEC website
  • DEC Wales website
  • ActionAid UK - Partnership of people fighting for a better world without poverty
  • British Red Cross - Helping people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are
  • CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) - Working to promote human development and social justice
  • Care International - Humanitarian organisation helping the world's most disadvantaged people
  • Christian Aid - Works to improve the lives of people regardless of race or religion and to change the rules that keep people poor.
  • Concern - "Working for a world where no one lives in fear, poverty or oppression."
  • Help the Aged - Working hard for a world in which older people are valued for their contribution to society
  • Islamic Relief - A caring world where the basic requirements of people in need are fulfilled.
  • Merlin - International charity responding to medical emergencies
  • Oxfam GB - Working to build a just and safer world and campaigning in the areas trade, conflict, debt and aid, and education
  • Plan UK - works for children and their communities to help realise children’s rights, including education, health, child protection, child participation, economic security and water and sanitation.
  • Red Cross - Specialises in health matters, such as providing medical staff
  • Save the Children UK - Fighting for children around the world who suffer from poverty, disease, injustice and violence
  • Tearfund - Working to prevent poverty and suffering
  • World Vision UK - Works to prevent poverty, hunger and injustice
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