Chapter I: UN Charter, structure and system •• ••
23
analyses emerging policy questions and best practices related to peacekeeping, and formulates policies, procedures and general peacekeeping doctrine; coordinates all UN activities related to landmines, and develops and supports mine-action programmes in peacekeeping and emergency situations.
The head of the Department directs peacekeeping operations on behalf of the Secretary-General; formulates policies and guidelines for operations; and advises the Secretary-General on all matters relating to peacekeeping and mine action. Department of Safety and Security (DSS) Under-Secretary-General: Gregory B. Starr (United States) The Department of Safety and Security (http://dss.un.org/public) provides leadership, operational support and oversight of the security management system for the United Nations, ensuring maximum security for staff and their dependants as well as enabling the safest and most efficient conduct of its programmes and activities throughout the world. Responsible for the safety of UN staff and consultants around the world, DSS was established by the General Assembly in 2005 to meet the need for a unified and strengthened security management system. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator: Valerie Amos (United Kingdom) The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (www.unocha.org) mobilizes and coordinates humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies. Through its network of field offices, humanitarian coordinators and country teams, OCHA works to ensure the coherence of relief efforts. It supports the efforts of its humanitarian coordinators and of UN agencies that deliver assistance through needs assessments, contingency planning and the formulation of humanitarian programmes. OCHA also advocates for the rights of people in need (notably with political organs such as the Security Council), promotes preparedness and prevention as well as policy development, and facilitates the implementation of sustainable solutions to humanitarian problems. The Emergency Relief Coordinator chairs the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, an umbrella organization that comprises all major humanitarian actors— including the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and consortia of other NGOs. By developing common policies, guidelines and standards, the Committee ensures a coherent interagency response to complex emergencies and natural and environmental disasters. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) High Commissioner: Navanethem Pillay (South Africa) The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is the official with principal responsibility for UN human rights activities and is charged with promoting and protecting civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights for all. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (www.ohchr.org) prepares reports and undertakes research at the request of the General Assembly and other