The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was founded in 1998; it has 30 active members who participate as a sounding board solving financing, policy, and program issues. It currently counts with 29 field offices and its headquarters are located in New York City and Geneva, which manages the coordination of field offices worldwide. This United Nations Office was created in response to resolution 46/182 adopted by the General Assembly.  Its principal function is to coordinate, mobilize, and finance humanitarian aid to countries that have been victims of complex emergencies such as armed conflicts, sanitary crises, or natural disasters by ensuring the participation of humanitarian partners in inter-agency decision-making responses. To carry out its functions, this organization is managed with principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and respect for international law.

To ensure the participation and correct administration of humanitarian aid to people in crisis, the Office for the Coordination on Humanitarian Affairs is entitled to:​
 

• Promote principles of humanity through digital campaigns, social media, or quiet diplomacy with armed groups to create consciousness about the interaction between civilians and military entities in emergency management.  

• Formulate recommendations based on analysis of information about the impact of the disaster on the affected communities to develop a collective plan of response which can be applied with the collaboration of United Nations organs and governamental organizations. 

• Mobilize aid and assistance from regional offices and surge mechanisms when required; 

• Collect and manage humanitarian funding to support high-priority projects, humanitarian response plans, and effective field coordination. 

• Implement tested emergency measures, tools, and contingency plans to help save lives during crises.