Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)

ActionAid is a member charity of the DEC, which is an umbrella organisation bringing together 14 leading UK aid charities together in times of humanitarian crisis. Together we launch appeals to raise money to help people most affected by disasters.

The other 13 DEC member charities are Action Against Hunger, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, Care International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, Plan UK, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.

Since the DEC’s launch in 1963, they have run 72 appeals and raised more than £1.5 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.

DEC Coronavirus Appeal

Millions of lives are at stake as Covid-19 hits refugee camps and war-torn countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Yemen.

As lockdown measures slowly lift here in the UK, elsewhere refugees and families who have fled violence and hunger need our help.  This includes almost a million Rohingya refugees living in the world’s biggest refugee camp in Bangladesh.

In these places, the virus is likely to be even more deadly than it has been here.

If we act now to protect millions of vulnerable refugees and displaced people, many lives can be saved. Please donate now. 

Donate to the DEC Coronavirus Appeal now

ActionAid and the DEC in action

In 2019, generous UK donors helped to raise £41 million, to support the Cyclone Idai appeal. 

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.