We estimate that global humanitarian assistance reached US$14.2 billion in 2006. This includes:

• total official humanitarian assistance from DAC donors
• humanitarian assistance from DAC donors that falls outside the DAC's official definition of humanitarian assistance (e.g. mine clearance)
• voluntary contributions by members of the public to NGOs, UN agencies and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
• humanitarian assistance from donor governments that are not part of the DAC.

Our guesstimate of global humanitarian assistance does not include local response or remittances from family members and diaspora communities – both of which are hugely significant and data for which neither is gathered or reported internationally.

Total official humanitarian assistance expenditure reached US$9.2 billion in 2006. The calculation is based on:

• bilateral humanitarian assistance expenditure of the 22 DAC donor countries
  • US$6.8 billion in 2006
• bilateral humanitarian assistance expenditure of the EC
  • US$1.2 billion in 2006
• multilateral contributions to UNHCR and UNRWA
  • US$0.9 billion in 2006
• a share of multilateral contributions to WFP
  • US$0.4 billion in 2006.

For graphs, data, trends and analysis of official humanitarian expenditure, see Global Humanitarian Assistance 2007/2008 >

Source: Tables 1 and 2a, OECD DAC.

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We estimate that DAC donors spent US$2.4 billion on assistance that could be decribed as humanitarian – but that falls outside the official DAC definition of humanitarian assistance:

• post-conflict peace activities
  • US$1.2 billion in 2006
• landmine clearance
  • US$253 million in 2006
• civilian peace-building and reconstruction
  • US$839 million in 2006
• reintegration of small arms and light weapons
  • US$125 million in 2006.

Source: CRS, OECD DAC.

See also humanitarian assistance definition >

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We estimate that voluntary contributions by members of the public to NGOs, UN agencies and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement amounted to over US$2 billion in 2006:

• the funds raised for humanitarian activity from voluntary sources from the 19 largest NGOs amounted to US$1.4 billion in 2006
• ... and that these 19 largest NGOs accoutned for around 75%-80% of total NGO voluntary funding
• a further US$470 million was raised via the UN agencies and Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Source: NGO reports and forthcoming GHA special report on NGO funding for humanitarian activities.

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We estimate that donor governments outside the DAC contributed US$435 million to humanitarian activities in 2006.

Source: UN OCHA FTS.

Comment: reporting expenditure on humanitarian activities through UN OCHA FTS is voluntary.

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No guesstimate of global humanitarian assistance can include the money, supplies or personnel costs associated with the local response to emergencies as they are rarely given a financial value or included in disaster response reports. This is a major gap in reporting – better decisions could be made on investing resources in preparedness and local capacity, potentially leading to more sustainable and cost effective response.

Similarly, anecdotal evidence suggests that remittances – which can be fast and flexible sources of vital cash income – can be worth far more than all other types of aid flow.

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