Chad / Sudanese refugees in Tissi / UNHCR staff together with the Chadian Red Cross are assisting refugees to board a truck who will take them to the newly established camp Abgadam. After their flight they stayed in an unsafe boarder area in makeshift shelters, many of them waiting for family members who are still in Sudan. While women and children will travel by truck, some of the men will be walking 2-3 with their livestock to the new camp which will offer enough space also for the animals. / UNHCR / R. Schoeffl / May 2013
© UNHCR/R. Schoeffl

Emergencies

In emergencies, we must think quick and act fast. Whether conflict has caused people to flee their homes or political upheaval has displaced a population overnight, UNHCR is there to help.

Our aid and experts are ready for deployment across the world. We can launch an emergency operation within 72 hours, thanks to a global network of suppliers, specialist agencies and partners.

To maintain this capacity, our agency has developed regular training programmes. They include the Workshop on Emergency Management, which prepares all volunteers listed on our Emergency Response Team (ERT) rosters for any impending humanitarian crisis. This week-long exercise is held three to four times a year for up to 40 people and focuses on team-building, operations planning, communication and negotiation skills, security, and more.

UNHCR's eCentre in Bangkok also helps to improve emergency preparedness and response capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region through targeted training and other capacity-building measures. Additionally, we contribute to inter-agency initiatives to enhance early warning and preparedness.

UNHCR's Emergency Handbook