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Министерство Российской Федерации

по делам гражданской обороны, чрезвычайным ситуациям

и ликвидации последствий стихийных бедствий

____________________________________________________________

Академия гражданской защиты

Humanitarian Activities

УЧЕБНОЕ ПОСОБИЕ

для курсантов

английский язык

Химки – 2013

Министерство Российской Федерации

по делам гражданской обороны, чрезвычайным ситуациям

и ликвидации последствий стихийных бедствий

________________________________________________________

Академия гражданской защиты

Кафедра иностранных языков

Субботина И.И., Романова Т.А.

Humanitarian Activities

УЧЕБНОЕ ПОСОБИЕ

для курсантов

английский язык

Химки – 2013

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES

Active Vocabulary to Text A

rehabilitation – восстановление

preparedness – готовность

community – зд. община

to strengthen – укреплять

to contribute – вносить вклад

to assess – оценивать

to be aimed at … – быть нацеленным на …

rapid – быстрый

closely – тесно

in accordance with … – в соответствии с …

Text a ocha

The increasing number of disasters involves more and more losses every year. To render humanitarian assistance to the affected population with only national forces is rather difficult. So, there appeared a critical need for creating a dynamic structure able to organize an effective international response to disasters.

In 1991 the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization adopted the resolution on strengthening coordination of international humanitarian assistance. In accordance with the resolution the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) was established in April 1992. The main responsibilities of DHA were to provide a rapid and well-coordinated response to major emergencies, save lives and contribute to rehabilitation.

In 1998 DHA was reorganized into OCHA. OCHA is the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs with expanded functions. The three main functions of OCHA are: the coordination of humanitarian response, the policy development and the humanitarian advocacy. The coordination of the humanitarian response is carried out throughout developing common strategies, assessing situations and humanitarian needs, mobilizing resources, etc. The policy development is provided throughout promoting international aid strategies and respecting principles of a humanitarian action and an international law. The humanitarian advocacy is aimed at developing and promoting approaches to humanitarian relief operations, coordinating advocacy actions, providing disaster preparedness by governments and local communities.

OCHA has two offices located in New York and Geneva. The coordination, planning and early warning functions are performed in New York. The functions on the coordination of international humanitarian assistance after emergencies are carried out in Geneva.

As the coordinating body OCHA works closely with different humanitarian organizations of the world and supports relief activities to all victims of emergencies and disasters.

Questions on Text a

1. What is DHA?

2. When was the Department of Humanitarian Affairs established?

3. What were the main responsibilities of DHA?

4. When was DHA reorganized into OCHA?

5. What does OCHA stand for?

6. What are the main missions of OCHA?

7. How many offices does OCHA have?

8. Where are OCHA’s offices located?

9. What OCHA’s functions are carried out in Geneva?

10. What OCHA’s functions are performed in New York?

* * * *

Text B

Humanitarian Assistance

Humanitarian assistance means a wide complex of measures to be rendered by the international community and separate states to the countries hit by disasters. That assistance usually includes delivery and distribution of foodstuffs, medicines and medical equipment, protection means and other first aid articles among population.

International humanitarian assistance plays an important role in reducing human losses and material damage in case of complex disasters and emergencies worldwide. International humanitarian assistance is carried out on the basis of the existing international law and in accordance with the principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality. The principle of humanity means that human rights of people must be respected and protected. According to the principle of neutrality humanitarian assistance should be promoted without bias toward or against one or more of the parties to the political, military, religious, ideological or ethic controversy. Following the principle of impartiality humanitarian assistance should be rendered regardless of nationality, ethnicity, race, religion or political beliefs.

Humanitarian assistance is usually carried out by governmental and non-governmental organizations. The key role of humanitarian assistance belongs to various organizations within the UN system. UN member-states closely collaborate with OCHA, ICDO, WHO, IFRC and with UNHCR, UNHCHR.

The international military forces play a significant role in international humanitarian assistance too. They are able to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies due to their greater logistic capacity and much greater human resources than any other international relief organization. Humanitarian activities of the international military forces are mandated by the Security Council or the High Commissioner. When the military forces undertake humanitarian operations they provide transporting humanitarian aid, monitoring aid delivery, maintaining aid supply routes. The scope and priority of these tasks are decided by UNHCR after negotiations with local authorities and consultations with the military commanders.

Creating the appropriate structure on providing coordination of international humanitarian assistance makes it possible to minimize human suffering after severe disasters and emergencies. By now humanitarian assistance has been rendered to such countries as Turkey, Japan, Afghanistan, Palestine, Algeria and others.