Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)

ActionAid is a member charity of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) - an umbrella organisation made up of 15 leading UK aid charities. In times of large-scale humanitarian crisis, we come together to raise money to help people most affected by disasters.

The other 14 DEC member charities are Action Against Hunger, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, Care International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, International Rescue Committee, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, Plan UK, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.

Since the DEC’s launch in 1963, they have run 73 appeals and raised more than £1.7 billion, saving millions of lives and rebuilding communities devastated by disasters – from earthquakes to hurricanes, civil war to health crises.

A proportion of the money raised through DEC appeals comes to ActionAid to help us deliver our life-saving humanitarian response. 

Working with the DEC allows us to reduce costs, maximise our reach and operate in a coordinated and mutually supportive way. To find out more about the DEC, and the criteria for launching appeals, go to the DEC website.

DEC Afghanistan Crisis Appeal

In December 2021 we launched a DEC appeal to respond to the escalating crisis in Afghanistan, where a million children under the age of five are at risk of dying over the next three months.

Years of conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic, a change of government and the worst drought in 27 years have led to catastrophic hunger in Afghanistan. The situation will only get worse as the freezing winter sets in. 

DEC charities are in Afghanistan providing lifesaving aid, scaling up their operations and reaching those most in need.

We are asking for urgent donations to:

• deliver emergency food and cash to hungry families 
• provide urgent nutrition to young children and mothers
• provide winter kits to help displaced families stay warm.

Donate to the DEC Afghanistan Crisis Appeal now