Emergencies
When disaster strikes, there is no time to lose. Our teams respond quickly and save children’s lives wherever disaster strikes. In 2011 we responded to 45 emergencies in 38 different countries and helped over 3 million children - our busiest year in 90 years.
How you can help us do more
We don't know where the next emergency will hit, but we will be ready to act quickly, so that more children can be saved.
Help us save lives by making a donation today.
How we hold ourselves accountable and improve our work
Save the Children staff are bound by the principles laid out in The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Disaster Relief. We are also active in a number of initiatives working to improve the quality and accountability of humanitarian assistance, including:
The Sphere Project
The Sphere Project has developed minimum operational standards and a programme of training and reviews to support agencies as they work to implement humanitarian programmes. The Sphere handbook contains the Humanitarian Charter, and minimum standards for response in the following core areas — food security, nutrition and food aid; water, sanitation and hygiene promotion; shelter, settlement and non-food items; and health.
Humanitarian Accountability Partnership
We are committed to meeting the highest standards of accountability and quality management in all our emergency work. As part of this commitment, we have joined the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership, the humanitarian sector's first international self-regulatory body.
Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP)
ALNAP is dedicated to improving the quality and accountability of humanitarian action, by sharing lessons; identifying common problems; and where appropriate, building consensus on approaches. ALNAP has linked humanitarian organisations to donors and the UN in actively promoting lesson learning and the sharing of best practice in humanitarian response.
People in Aid
People in Aid has developed a voluntary code for the management and support of national and international staff during emergency response operations and also promotes the networking of staff involved in the management of human resources across the humanitarian sector.
Emergency Capacity Building Project (ECB)
The ECB project is a collaborative effort of seven humanitarian agencies that are jointly tackling common problems in emergency response and preparedness, including staff capacity, accountability (primarily to affected populations), impact measurement, risk reduction, and the use of information and technology in emergencies.
NGOs and Humanitarian Reform Project
We’re working with six other organisations on a three-year project to improve the way NGOs are involved in international emergency responses and recommend ways to make the humanitarian response system work better. The project is funded by the UK’s Department for International Development.