Disasters Emergency Committee
Encyclopedia
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.
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. 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. 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
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
charities
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. These charities are all associated with disaster related issues such as providing clean water, humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
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
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman 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
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
, raising a total of £100million.
In July 2011 DEC accepted free advertising in the final edition of Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
's News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
newspaper as the paper was closed in the aftermath of the News International phone hacking scandal. According to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, 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. 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
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
developing in the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
.
Member charities
- ActionAidActionAidActionAid was founded in 1972 as a child sponsorship charity when 88 UK supporters sponsored 88 children in India and Kenya, the focus primarily being to provide children with an education. Global accounts are now reported in Euros and in 2007 and 2008 turnover was close to 180m Euros...
- British Red CrossBritish Red CrossThe British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom branch of the worldwide impartial humanitarian organisation the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with over 31,000 volunteers and 2,600 staff. At the heart of their work...
- CAFODCAFODThe Catholic Agency For Overseas Development, previously known as the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, is a United Kingdom-based international aid agency working to alleviate poverty and suffering in developing. It is funded by the Catholic community in England and Wales, the UK government...
- CARE InternationalCARE (relief)CARE is a broad-spectrum secular relief, humanitarian, and development non-governmental organization fighting global poverty. It is non-political, non-sectarian and operates annually in more than 70 countries across the globe.One of the organization’s primary focuses in its fight to eradicate...
- Christian AidChristian AidChristian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...
- Concern
- Help the AgedHelp the AgedHelp the Aged was a United Kingdom based, international charity, founded in 1961 by Cecil Jackson-Cole, to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation and neglect. It merged with Age Concern in 2009 to form Age UK.-Organisation and campaigns:...
- Islamic ReliefIslamic ReliefIslamic Relief Worldwide is a Muslim international relief and development organization consisting of a family of 15 aid agencies that aims to alleviate the suffering of the world’s poorest people...
- MerlinMerlin (charity)Merlin is a British international health charity, which sends medical experts to global emergencies.-History:...
- OxfamOxfamOxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
- Plan UKPlan UKPlan UK is the UK branch of the global children’s charity Plan International, which works to achieve sustainable development in 48 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. It is a registered charity in the UK . and has no religious or political affiliations...
- Save the ChildrenSave the ChildrenSave the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
- TearfundTearfundTearfund is a UK Christian relief and development agency which works in over 50 countries. It is a founding member of both the Micah Network and the Disasters Emergency Committee.-History:...
- World VisionWorld VisionWorld Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
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