60 years
of the DEC
60 years
of the DEC
The Disasters Emergency Committee was formed in 1963 and has since reached millions of people in humanitarian need through our member charities, thanks to the generous support of the UK public.
Key facts
£2.4 billion
has been donated to the DEC by the UK public since 1963
77 appeals
have been launched for major overseas disasters in the last 60 years
60 Years of disaster Response
The UK public has given an astounding £2.4 billion to 77 national appeals, responding every time we have called upon them to help, showing great empathy and generosity.
Together we have provided a lifeline to millions of people affected by some of the largest humanitarian crises, including the famine in Ethiopia, the Boxing Day tsunami, the conflict in Ukraine and most recently the Turkey-Syria earthquake.
Timeline of events and DEC appeals
Over the last 60 years we have responded to earthquakes and tsunamis, hunger and drought, the impacts of conflict and climate change and reached millions of people in humanitarian need across more than 60 countries.
The DEC is formed
18 December 1963
The Disasters Emergency Committee is formed following a cyclone in Sri Lanka in 1963, to help relief agencies, government departments and other interested parties co-operate closely when providing relief after overseas disasters.
The Disasters Emergency Committee is formed following a cyclone in Sri Lanka in 1963, to help relief agencies, government departments and other interested parties co-operate closely when providing relief after overseas disasters.
Earthquake in Turkey
August 1966
The first emergency appeal was launched by the DEC in response to a devastating earthquake in Varto, Turkey which killed 2,300 people.
Amount raised:
£560,000
The first emergency appeal was launched by the DEC in response to a devastating earthquake in Varto, Turkey which killed 2,300 people.
Amount raised:
£560,000
1967 - 1968
November 1968
WAR VICTIMS IN NIGERIA APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched in response to war in Nigeria which led to millions of displaced people dying from hunger and disease.
Amount raised:
£240,000
September 1968
EARTHQUAKE IN IRAN APPEAL
Amount raised:
£210,000
February 1968
WAR IN VIETNAM APPEAL
The DEC launched an appeal in February 1968 in response to the escalating crisis in Vietnam.
Amount raised:
£360,000
June 1967
CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST APPEAL
The DEC launched an emergency appeal after the 1967 war displaced over 300,000 people across the region.
Amount raised:
£160,000
1969 - 1970
June 1970
FLOODS IN ROMANIA APPEAL
Amount raised:
£110,000
March 1970
EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after an earthquake destroyed at least 33 towns and killed over 1,000 people.
Amount raised:
£370,000
November 1969
EARTHQUAKE IN YUGOSLAVIA APPEAL
A DEC appeal was called after an earthquake left 65,000 people homeless and caused widespread destruction.
Amount raised:
£60,000
October 1969
FLOODS IN ALGERIA AND TUNISIA APPEAL
Amount raised:
£90,000
1970 - 1972
December 1972
EARTHQUAKE IN NICARAGUA APPEAL
Amount raised:
£340,000
June 1971
REFUGEES IN INDIA & PAKISTAN APPEAL
Amount raised:
£1.4 million
November 1970
CYCLONE IN EAST PAKISTAN APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after a devastating tropical cyclone killed up to 500,000 people.
Amount raised:
£1.4 million
June 1970
EARTHQUAKE IN PERU APPEAL
The DEC appeal was launched after an earthquake caused an avalanche off Mount Huascaran, burying two towns. Thousands of people were killed and 500,000 people were left homeless.
Amount raised:
£230,000
1973 - 1979
September 1979
INDO-CHINA EMERGENCY APPEAL
Amount raised:
£560,000
February 1976
EARTHQUAKE IN GUATEMALA APPEAL
Amount raised:
£1.3 million
September 1974
HURRICANE IN HONDURAS APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after a hurricane killed thousands of people, destroyed food crops and caused enormous damage to towns and villages.
Amount raised:
£350,000
October 1973
DROUGHT IN ETHIOPIA AND THE SAHEL APPEAL
Amount raised:
£1.5 million
1979 - 1982
July 1982
LEBANON APPEAL
Amount raised:
£1 million
March 1982
CENTRAL AMERICA EMERGENCY APPEAL
Amount raised:
£430,000
June 1980
DROUGHT AND REFUGEES IN EAST AFRICA APPEAL
Amount raised:
£6.1 million
November 1979
CYCLONES IN INDIA APPEAL
Amount raised:
£870,000
1983 - 1984
June 1984
FAMINE IN AFRICA APPEAL
Amount raised:
£9.5 million
March 1983
ETHIOPIA FAMINE APPEAL
Amount raised:
£1.9 million
Ethiopia in Famine Fund
October 1984
The 1980s Ethiopia famine was one of the worst humanitarian crises of the 20th century, caused by factors including drought and conflict. The UN estimated one million deaths, with millions of people displaced and lacking the resources to rebuild their lives.
Amount raised:
£5.2 million
Read more
The 1980s Ethiopia famine was one of the worst humanitarian crises of the 20th century, caused by factors including drought and conflict. The UN estimated one million deaths, with millions of people displaced and lacking the resources to rebuild their lives.
Amount raised:
£5.2 million
1985 - 1988
August 1988
SUDAN EMERGENCY APPEAL
Amount raised:
£8.8 million
December 1987
ETHIOPIA FAMINE APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after devastating droughts threatened five million people with severe famine.
Amount raised:
£2.6 million
June 1987
EMERGENCY APPEAL FOR MOZAMBIQUE
Amount raised:
£2.4 million
May 1985
BANGLADESH CYCLONE APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after Bangladesh was hit by a tropical cyclone which killed thousands of people.
Amount raised:
£1.4 million
1988 - 1990
September 1990
GULF CRISIS APPEAL
Amount raised:
£3.4 million
December 1989
ETHIOPIA FAMINE APPEAL
Amount raised:
£10.2 million
September 1988
HURRICANE APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after a hurricane in the Caribbean killed thousands and left widespread destruction.
Amount raised:
£1 million
September 1988
BANGLADESH FLOODS
A DEC appeal was launched after widescale flooding killed 5,000 people and left millions without homes.
Amount raised:
£5.8 million
1991 - 1992
September 1992
AFRICA IN CRISIS APPEAL
Amount raised:
£17.3 million
June 1991
ACTION FOR AFRICA APPEAL
Amount raised:
£2.6 million
May 1991
CYCLONE IN BANGLADESH APPEAL
Amount raised:
£3.5 million
January 1991
CRISIS IN AFRICA APPEAL
Amount raised:
£7.9 million
1993 - 1994
March 1994
APPEAL FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
Amount raised:
£2.6 million
October 1993
AFRICA ON A KNIFE EDGE APPEAL
Amount raised:
£2.5 million
Rwanda Emergency appeal
May 1994
Rwanda suffered one of the worst genocides of the 20th century when Hutu extremists killed an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus, and forcing millions of Hutu to flee to Zaire (now DR Congo).
Aid agencies were present in Rwanda throughout the genocide and worked in Zaire during the aftermath. DEC charity British Red Cross's international arm, ICRC, set up emergency medical and surgical care for survivors, a rehabilitation programme, and a special programme to help reunite thousands of children with their parents.
Amount raised:
£37 million
Rwanda suffered one of the worst genocides of the 20th century when Hutu extremists killed an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus, and forcing millions of Hutu to flee to Zaire (now DR Congo).
Aid agencies were present in Rwanda throughout the genocide and worked in Zaire during the aftermath. DEC charity British Red Cross's international arm, ICRC, set up emergency medical and surgical care for survivors, a rehabilitation programme, and a special programme to help reunite thousands of children with their parents.
Aid agencies were present in Rwanda throughout the genocide and worked in Zaire during the aftermath. DEC charity British Red Cross's international arm, ICRC, set up emergency medical and surgical care for survivors, a rehabilitation programme, and a special programme to help reunite thousands of children with their parents.
Amount raised:
£37 million
1998
November 1998
CENTRAL AMERICA HURRICANE APPEAL
Amount raised:
£18.5 million
September 1998
BANGLADESH FLOODS APPEAL
Amount raised:
£5.5 million
May 1998
SUDAN CRISIS APPEAL
Amount raised:
£10.5 million
KOSOVO CRISIS APPEAL
A CARE team distributes relief items in Kosovo. Image credit: CARE International
April 1999
As conflict between ethnic Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo escalated, NATO launched air strikes against Serbia. In response the Serbian government increased its ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians, starting the largest and fastest movement of people in Europe since the Second World War.
Amount raised:
£53 million
Read more
As conflict between ethnic Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo escalated, NATO launched air strikes against Serbia. In response the Serbian government increased its ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians, starting the largest and fastest movement of people in Europe since the Second World War.
Amount raised:
£53 million
1999 - 2002
January 2002
GOMA CRISIS APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after a volcanic eruption destroyed thousands of homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country already deeply affected by poverty and conflict.
Amount raised:
£4.6 million
February 2001
INDIA EARTHQUAKE APPEAL
Amount raised:
£24 million
March 2000
MOZAMBIQUE FLOODS APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after torrential rains caused floods, leaving widespread destruction and thousands of people displaced.
Amount raised:
£30 million
November 1999
INDIA CYCLONE APPEAL
Amount raised:
£7 million
2002 - 2004
July 2004
SUDAN EMERGENCY APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after ongoing conflict and violence displaced over two million people in Darfur.
August 2003
LIBERIA CRISIS APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after civil war in Liberia left over one million people trapped in appalling conditions of poverty.
Amount raised:
£2.5 million
July 2002
SOUTHERN AFRICA CRISIS APPEAL
Amount raised:
£16 million
Boxing Day Tsunami Appeal
December 2004
Described as the worst natural disaster in modern times, a massive earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered a 500mph tidal wave which hit seven countries around the Indian Ocean. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed and millions of lives were shattered.
Amount raised:
£392 million
Read more
Described as the worst natural disaster in modern times, a massive earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered a 500mph tidal wave which hit seven countries around the Indian Ocean. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed and millions of lives were shattered.
Amount raised:
£392 million
2005 - 2007
November 2007
BANGLADESH APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after Cyclone Sidr crossed from the northern Bay of Bengal triggering a tidal surge 15 feet high which swept inland and devastated 30 districts of Bangladesh.
Amount raised:
£9 million
May 2007
DARFUR & CHAD APPEAL
Amount raised:
£13.6 million
October 2005
ASIA QUAKE APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after an earthquake devastated areas of Kashmir, Pakistan and Northern India.
Amount raised:
£59 million
August 2005
NIGER CRISIS APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after a major food shortage was caused by drought and a locust invasion in West Africa.
Amount raised:
£32 million
2008 - 2009
January 2009
GAZA CRISIS APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after three weeks of heavy shelling and a blockade of Gaza created an overwhelming humanitarian need.
Amount raised:
£8.3 million
November 2008
CONGO (DR) CRISIS APPEAL
A DEC appeal was launched after an upsurge in hostilities between government forces and rebel groups led to a large-scale displacement of people in North Kivu (Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo).
Amount raised:
£10.5 million
May 2008
MYANMAR (BURMA) CYCLONE APPEAL
Amount raised:
£19.5 million
Haiti Earthquake Appeal
The after-effects of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
January 2010
A catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, followed by 52 aftershocks - the worst to hit the country in 200 years. Around 220,000 people died, 500,000 people fled to the countryside and 1.5m people were displaced into temporary camps.
Amount raised:
£107 million
Read more
A catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, followed by 52 aftershocks - the worst to hit the country in 200 years. Around 220,000 people died, 500,000 people fled to the countryside and 1.5m people were displaced into temporary camps.
Amount raised:
£107 million
2010 - 2011
July 2011
East Africa crisis
A DEC appeal was launched after the worst drought in 25 years left more than 13 million people across East Africa in urgent need of food, water and emergency healthcare.
Amount raised:
£79 million
July 2010
Pakistan Floods Appeal
A DEC appeal was launched after unprecedented monsoon rains caused devastating floods across Pakistan.
Amount raised:
£71 million
Philippines Typhoon Appeal
November 2013
Typhoon Haiyan, one of the fiercest typhoons ever to make landfall, ripped through the centre of the Philippines archipelago causing devastation.
More than 6,000 people were killed and four million people saw their homes destroyed or severely damaged.
Amount raised:
£96 million
Read more
Typhoon Haiyan, one of the fiercest typhoons ever to make landfall, ripped through the centre of the Philippines archipelago causing devastation.
More than 6,000 people were killed and four million people saw their homes destroyed or severely damaged.
More than 6,000 people were killed and four million people saw their homes destroyed or severely damaged.
Amount raised:
£96 million
2013 - 2014
October 2014
Ebola Crisis Appeal
The DEC launched an appeal after an outbreak of Ebola spread from Guinea to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal.
Amount raised:
£37 million
August 2014
Gaza Crisis Appeal
The DEC launched an appeal after hostilities in Gaza escalated over the summer of 2014. The conflict led to the deaths of 2,251 Palestinians and forced one in four Palestinians to flee their homes.
Amount raised:
£19 million
March 2013
Syria Crisis Appeal
The DEC launched an appeal after two years of civil war left nine million people in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.
Amount raised:
£15 million
Nepal Earthquake Appeal
People clear a road in Kathmandu in the wake of the devastating earthquake.
April 2015
Two earthquakes struck Nepal in 2015 causing a total of 8,891 deaths and over 22,000 injuries. Hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed leading to the displacement of over 200,000 people.
Amount raised:
£87 million
Read more
Two earthquakes struck Nepal in 2015 causing a total of 8,891 deaths and over 22,000 injuries. Hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed leading to the displacement of over 200,000 people.
Amount raised:
£87 million
2016 - 2019
March 2019
Cyclone Idai Appeal
The DEC launched an appeal after a huge cyclone hit Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. At least 900 people were killed and around three million people were left in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Amount raised:
£43 million
September 2018
Indonesian Tsunami Appeal
A DEC appeal was launched after a series of catastrophic earthquakes struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, triggering a tsunami which reached three meters in height. Tens of thousands of homes were destroyed and entire communities decimated. At least 4,340 people were killed in the disaster, and another 4,400 people were seriously injured.
Amount raised:
£29 million
August 2017
Rohingya Crisis Appeal
When violence broke out in Rakhine State, Myanmar, more than half a million people - mainly Rohingya women, children and older people - fled across the border into Bangladesh. The situation quickly spiralled into one of the world’s worst refugee emergencies.
Amount raised:
£30 million
December 2016
Yemen Crisis Appeal
The DEC launched an emergency appeal after the civil war pushed Yemen to the brink, with 20 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Amount raised:
£30 million
Coronavirus Appeal
Bushra* wears a mask provided by DEC charity Islamic Relief.
July 2020
The coronavirus pandemic was particularly devastating for many vulnerable communities around the world. The DEC launched an appeal to provide medical care, clean water and other aid in eight countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, DR Congo, India, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Amount raised:
£62 million
Read more
The coronavirus pandemic was particularly devastating for many vulnerable communities around the world. The DEC launched an appeal to provide medical care, clean water and other aid in eight countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, DR Congo, India, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Amount raised:
£62 million
Afghanistan Crisis Appeal
Kareem, aged 42, receives humanitarian aid at a distribution in Herat.
December 2021
In late 2021 the DEC launched the Afghanistan Crisis Appeal after drought, economic collapse and rising global food prices pushed millions to the brink of famine.
Amount raised:
£50 million
Read more
In late 2021 the DEC launched the Afghanistan Crisis Appeal after drought, economic collapse and rising global food prices pushed millions to the brink of famine.
Amount raised:
£50 million
Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal
Viktoria, a cyclist volunteer delivers food to Larysa, an older resident of Kharkiv.
March 2022
A week after conflict in Ukraine escalated the DEC launched an appeal to provide humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. There was a huge outpouring of support from the UK public in what is one the DEC's largest ever appeals.
Amount raised:
£420 million
A week after conflict in Ukraine escalated the DEC launched an appeal to provide humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. There was a huge outpouring of support from the UK public in what is one the DEC's largest ever appeals.
Amount raised:
£420 million
September 2022
Pakistan Floods Appeal
The DEC launched an appeal after historic floods submerged huge areas of the country, leaving millions in need of humanitarian assistance.
Amount raised:
£48 million
Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal
Women hug near a collapsed building in Turkey after one loses her brother in the devastating earthquake.
February 2023
On 6 February, the first deadly earthquake struck without warning while people were sleeping. Around 300,000 buildings, including blocks of flats, hospitals and schools, were destroyed along with infrastructure such as water supplies.
DEC charities worked alongside locally led relief efforts to provide medical treatment, emergency cash, shelter, food and water.
Amount raised:
£150 million
On 6 February, the first deadly earthquake struck without warning while people were sleeping. Around 300,000 buildings, including blocks of flats, hospitals and schools, were destroyed along with infrastructure such as water supplies.
DEC charities worked alongside locally led relief efforts to provide medical treatment, emergency cash, shelter, food and water.
DEC charities worked alongside locally led relief efforts to provide medical treatment, emergency cash, shelter, food and water.
Amount raised:
£150 million
OUR HISTORY
Early in 1963 a cyclone hit Sri Lanka and the High Commissioner in London appealed to the British public to help. The major broadcasters began to envisage a situation where they might face requests from separate humanitarian agencies that they would find difficult to refuse.
Lord Astor, Chairman of the Standing Conference of British Organisations for Aid to Refugees, proposed that relief agencies should co-operate closely together to provide relief after a disaster overseas. The British Red Cross Society agreed to co-ordinate and the new DEC was recognised by the BBC as a representative body.
OUR MEMBERS AND PARTNERS
The DEC has grown from its five original members – the British Red Cross, Save the Children, Inter-Church Aid (now known as Christian Aid), the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (now known as Oxfam) and War on Want - to bringing together 15 of the UK’s leading aid agencies in times of crisis.
Alongside the major TV broadcasters, the DEC now has a Rapid Response Network of key media and corporate partners who help launch our emergency appeals at very short notice, getting the message out and making it easy for the UK public to donate quickly and seamlessly.
OUR FUTURE
The way the DEC raises funds, communicates about people affected by disasters, and the very nature of how humanitarian aid is delivered have all changed radically over the last 60 years. We continue to learn and adapt.
Looking ahead, the combination of the climate crisis, protracted conflicts and high levels of displacement around the world present an enormous humanitarian challenge, particularly with scarce funding available.
We will continue to bring together our member charities and partners to raise money to deliver swift, effective and accountable humanitarian aid to communities affected by the world’s worst disasters.
About the DEC
