The humanitarian aid sector is teeming with acronyms—UN, MSF, UNDP, UNICEF, HQ, LMIC’s, GBV, WASH, NGO, INGO, and many more. These acronyms often seem overwhelming, especially when you’re new to the field. Fortunately, I’ve compiled this guide to help you navigate the complex landscape of humanitarian terms. Many of the acronyms listed here were derived from UNICEF’s website, but I’ve expanded the list to include others beyond the UN system. Feel free to bookmark this page for easy reference as you embark on your international aid career!
A
- AAP — Accountability for Affected Populations
- ACABQ — Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions
- ACLs — Accelerated Learning Centres
- AD — Auto-Destruct Syringe
- ADB — Asian Development Bank
- AfDB — African Development Bank
- AIDS — Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- AMP — Annual Management Plan
- ANSA — Armed Non-State Actor(s)
- APEC — Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
- ART — Antiretroviral Treatment
- ARV — Antiretroviral
- ASEAN — Association of Southeast Asian Nations
- ASG — Assistant Secretary-General
- AWP — Annual Work Plan
B
- BAB — Board Approved Budget
- BCA — Basic Cooperation Agreement
- BCC — Behaviour Change Communication
- BCG — Bacille Calmette-Guérin (Tuberculosis Vaccine)
- BCP — Business Continuity Plan
- BEmONC — Basic Emergency Obstetric and New-born Care
- BIR — Business Information Reporting
- BPHS — Basic Package of Health Services
- BRAC — Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee
C
- C4D — Communication for Development
- CAG — Cash Assistance to Government
- CAP — Consolidated Appeals Process
- CAPO — Child Affairs Police Officer
- CEP — Costed Evaluation Plan
- CARICOM — Caribbean Community
- CBA — Community-Based Approaches
- CBE — Community-Based Education
- CBF — Common Budgetary Framework
- CBO — Community-Based Organization
- CCA — Common Country Assessment
- CCC — Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action
- CCSA — Committee for Co-ordination of Statistical Activities
- CCS-UN — Committee of Chief Statisticians of the UN
- CEAP — Corporate Emergency Activation Procedure
- CEB — UN System Chief Executive Board for Coordination OR Chief Executives Board
- CEDAW — Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
- CELAC — Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
- CEMAC — Central African Economic and Monetary Community
- CEN-SAD — Community of Sahelo-Saharan States
- CEPGL — Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries
- CERD — International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
- CERF — Central Emergency Relief Fund
- CFAF — Communauté Financière Africaine
- CFM — Complaints and Feedback Mechanism
- CFS — Child-Friendly School
- CHAI — Clinton Health Access Initiative
- CHAP — Common Humanitarian Action Plan
- CHW — Community Health Worker
- CIS — Commonwealth of Independent States
- CIT — Country In Transition
- CLTS — Community-Led Total Sanitation
- CMAM — Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition
- CMC — Community Management Committee
- CMS — Central Medical Stores
- CMT — Country Management Team
- CO — Country Office
- COAR — Country Office Annual Report
- CoP — Community of Practice
- CP — Country Programme of Cooperation OR Child Protection
- CPAN — Child Protection Action Network
- CPAP — Country Programme Action Plan
- CPD — Country Programme Document
- CPE — Country Programme Evaluation
- CPiE — Child Protection in Emergencies
- CPMP — Country Programme Management Plan
- CRC — Convention on the Rights of the Child
- CRPD — Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- CSG — Child Safeguarding
- CSO — Civil Society Organization
- CSP — Civil Society Partnerships
- CwD — Children with Disabilities
D
- DAPM — Division of Data, Analytics, Planning, and Monitoring
- DANIDA — Danish International Development Agency
- DaO — Delivering as One
- DC — District Council
- DCT — Direct Cash Transfers
- DDI — Data Documentation Initiative
- DFAM — Division of Financial and Administrative Management
- DFATD — Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Canada
- DHR — Division of Human Resources
- DHS — Domestic Household Survey
- DIMCI — Distant-learning Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses
- DOC — Division of Communication
- DRC — Democratic Republic of Congo
- DRD — Deputy Regional Director
- DRR — Disaster Risk Reduction
- DSPL — DataSet Publishing Language
- DTP — Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis vaccine
E
- EAPR — East Asia and Pacific Region
- EAPRO — East Asia and Pacific Regional Office
- EAR — Emergency Appeal Reference
- EBRD — European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- ECA — Economic Commission for Africa
- ECAR — Europe and Central Asia Region
- ECARO — Europe and Central Asia Regional Office
- ECCAS — Economic Community of Central African States
- ECD — Early Childhood Development
- ECE — Economic Commission for Europe OR Early Childhood Education
- ECHO — European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection
- ECLAC — Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
- ECM — Enterprise Content Management
- ECOWAS — Economic Community of West African States
- ECW — Education Cannot Wait
- EEFO — Earliest-Expiry-First-Out
- EFA — Education for All
- EFPs — Essential Family Practices
- EFTA — European Free Trade Association
- EHAGL — East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes Region
- EIA — Environmental Impact Assessment
- EiE — Education in Emergencies
- EISI — Evidence Information Systems Integration
- eLMIS — Electronic Logistics Management Information System
- EMIS — Education Management Information System
- EmONC — Emergency Obstetric and New-born Care
- EMOPS — Office of Emergency Programmes
- eMTCT — Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV
- EOI — Expressions of Interest
- EPF — Emergency Programme Fund
- EPI — Expanded Programme on Immunization
- EPRP — Emergency Preparedness Response Plan
- ERM — Enterprise Risk Management
- ERP — Enterprise Resource Planning
- ESCAP — Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
- ESCWA — Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
- ESP — Education Sector Plan
- ESA — Education Sector Analysis
- ESAR — Eastern and Southern African Region
- ESARO — Eastern and Southern African Regional Office
- EVM — Effective Vaccine Management
- EVMA — Effective Vaccine Management Assessment
- EVSA — Effective Vaccine Store Assessment
- EWEA — Early Warning Early Action
F
- FACE — Funding Authorization and Certificate of Expenditure
- FAM — Financial Assurance Module
- FAO — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- FC — Funds Commitment
- FDI — Foreign Direct Investment
- FGM/C — Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
- FGD — Focus Group Discussion
- FI — Food Item
- FIC — Fully Immunized Child
- FICSA — Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations
G
- GAP — Gender Action Plan (2018–2021)
- GAVI — Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization
- GBV — Gender-Based Violence
- GDP — Gross Domestic Product
- GDPR — General Data Protection Regulation (EU)
- GEM — Gender Equality Marker
- GHD — Girls’ Holistic Development (The Grandmother Project)
- GIS — Geographical Information Systems
- GM — Growth Monitoring
- GMP — Growth Monitoring and Promotion
- GMT — Global Management Team
- GNI — Gross National Income
- GNP — Gross National Product
- GPE — Global Partnership for Education
- GPI — Global Programme Implementation
- GPPi — Global Public Policy Institute
- GPW — Global Programme Framework
- GTS — Gender Transformative Social Norms
H
- HAC — Humanitarian Accountability Conference
- HAP — Humanitarian Accountability Partnership
- HCT — Humanitarian Country Team
- HIV — Human Immunodeficiency Virus
- HR — Human Resources
- HRD — Humanitarian Response Depot
- HRP — Humanitarian Response Plan
- HTSP — Healthy Timing and Spacing of Pregnancy
- HUV — High-Value Vaccine
I
- ICC — International Criminal Court
- ICCA — Inter-Agency Contingency Planning for Conflict and Natural Disasters
- ICCT — Inter-Agency Contingency Tool
- ICF — International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health
- ICG — Inter-Cluster Group
- ICSD — International Conference on Sustainable Development
- ICT — Information and Communication Technology
- IDP — Internally Displaced Person
- IFAD — International Fund for Agricultural Development
- IFC — International Finance Corporation
- IFHP — International Federation of Health Plans
- IHR — International Health Regulations
- IHP — International Health Partnership
- IHRL — International Human Rights Law
- IICA — International Individual Contractor Agreements
- IMAS — International Mine Action Standards
- IMC — International Medical Corps
- IMS — Incident Management System
- INCAF — International Network on Conflict and Fragility
- INGO — International Non-Governmental Organization
- IPC — Integrated Phase Classification
- IR — International Relations
- IRCs — Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies
- IRH — Integrated Reproductive Health
- ISA — Inter-Agency Security Assessment
- ISDR — International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
- ISF — Internal Security Forces
- ISO — International Organization for Standardization
J
- JEE — Joint External Evaluation
- JIPS — Joint IDP Profiling Service
- JOC — Joint Operations Centre
- JPO — Junior Professional Officer
- JRF — Joint Response Fund
K
- KAP — Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice
- KII — Key Informant Interview
- KIP — Key Informant Panel
- KPI — Key Performance Indicator
L
- LAC — Latin America and the Caribbean
- LGBTI — Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex
- LEB — Lebanon
- LICA — Local Individual Contract Agreement
- LMICs — Low and Middle-Income Countries
- LNGOs — Local Non-Governmental Organizations
- LRRD — Linking Relief, Rehabilitation, and Development
- LSA — Local Security Advisor
- LTAs — Long-Term Agreements
M
- M&E — Monitoring and Evaluation
- MAM — Moderate Acute Malnutrition
- MBC — Management by Constraints
- MDG — Millennium Development Goals
- MEAL — Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning
- MFA — Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- MHPSS — Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
- MICs — Middle-Income Countries
- MICIC — Model Law for Migrant Protection
- MICR — Migrant Identification and Registration
- MISP — Minimum Initial Service Package for Reproductive Health in Crisis
- MMR — Maternal Mortality Ratio
- MNCH — Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health
- MOH — Ministry of Health
- MOL — Ministry of Labor
- MOUs — Memorandums of Understanding
- MRE — Mine Risk Education
- MSM — Men Who Have Sex with Men
- MSPP — Ministry of Public Health and Population
- MSU — Mobile Storage Units
- MTR — Mid-Term Review
N
- NA — Not Applicable
- NAC — Nutrition Advisory Committee
- NACAP — National Action Plan for Child Protection
- NAP — National Action Plan
- NBS — National Bureau of Statistics
- NCDs — Non-Communicable Diseases
- NCS — Nutrition Cluster Strategy
- NEP — Nutrition Emergency Preparedness
- NFI — Non-Food Items
- NFS — Nutrition-Friendly Schools
- NGOs — Non-Governmental Organizations
- NHP — National Health Policy
- NID — National Immunization Day
- NIH — National Institutes of Health
- NPA — National Plan of Action
- NRHM — National Rural Health Mission
- NTP — National Tuberculosis Program
- NVA — Non-Violent Action
O
- OCHA — Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- ODI — Overseas Development Institute
- OECD — Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
- OIC — Organization of Islamic Cooperation
- OIE — World Organization for Animal Health
- OLAS — One UN Logistics Services
- OPM — Oxford Policy Management
- OPS — Operations Unit
- OPT — Occupied Palestinian Territory
- ORC — On-the-Record Communication
P
- PAP — Provisional Allocation Plan
- PBF — Peacebuilding Fund
- PC — Peacebuilding Commission
- PCR — Polymerase Chain Reaction
- PFA — Psychological First Aid
- PFP — Public Financial Policy
- PHC — Primary Health Care
- PHR — Physicians for Human Rights
- PI — Personal Identifier
- PIAC — Protection Information Analysis Cell
- PME — Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation
- PMM — Project Management Module
- POC — Protection of Civilians
- PSEA — Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
- PSS — Psychosocial Support
- PTM — Post-Transition Monitoring
- PVO — Private Voluntary Organization
Q
- QCPR — Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review
- QRC — Quality Review Committee
- QTR — Quarterly Technical Report
R
- RBA — Results-Based Accountability
- RC — Resident Coordinator
- RCC — Regional Consultative Committee
- RCO — Regional Coordination Office
- RD — Regional Director
- RED — Rights-Evidence-Dignity
- RFA — Request for Applications
- RFQ — Request for Quotations
- RGI — Regional Government Initiative
- RRM — Rapid Response Mechanism
- RRMS — Rapid Response Mechanism System
- RTF — Rapid Transition Facility
- RUTF — Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food
- RWA — Right-Way Approach
S
- SAC — Steering and Advisory Committee
- SADC — Southern African Development Community
- SAE — Serious Adverse Events
- SAR — Special Administrative Region
- SBC — Social and Behavior Change
- SCC — Shelter Cluster Coordination
- SDC — Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
- SDG — Sustainable Development Goals
- SEA — Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
- SEEG — Social, Economic, and Environmental Goals
- SGBV — Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
- SIDS — Small Island Developing States
- SIGI — Social Institutions and Gender Index
- SMC — Supply Management Chain
- SNA — Social Network Analysis
- SOP — Standard Operating Procedure
- SRHR — Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
- SRP — Strategic Response Plan
- SSD — South Sudan
- SSN — Social Safety Nets
- SSWG — Social Services Working Group
T
- TAGS — Technical Assistance Guidelines
- TB — Tuberculosis
- TCC — Technical Cooperation and Coordination
- TF — Task Force
- TFS — Time Frame for Submission
- TFG — Transitional Federal Government
- TIC — Training and Integration Committee
- TIP — Trafficking in Persons
- TME — Total Market Engagement
- ToT — Training of Trainers
- TPI — Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment
- TPR — Third-Party Resource
U
- U5MR — Under-5 Mortality Rate
- UAE — United Arab Emirates
- UAMS — United Nations and Academic Institutions
- UBS — Underlying Budget Statement
- UCC — Urban Cash Transfer
- UDHR — Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- UMICs — Upper Middle-Income Countries
- UN — United Nations
- UNAP — United Nations Action Plan
- UNCCS — United Nations Common Country Services
- UNCRC — United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
- UNCT — United Nations Country Team
- UNDP — United Nations Development Programme
- UNDP-SI — United Nations Development Programme Sudan Information
- UNEG — United Nations Evaluation Group
- UNFPA — United Nations Population Fund
- UNHCR — United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
- UNICEF — United Nations Children’s Fund
- UNIQ — United Nations Information Questionnaires
- UNISDR — United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
- UNOCHA — United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- UNOPS — United Nations Office for Project Services
- UNRWA — United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
- UNSG — United Nations Secretary-General
- UNTA — United Nations Team of Analysts
- UNV — United Nations Volunteers
- UNWTO — United Nations World Tourism Organization
V
- VA — Vulnerability Assessment
- VAPP — Vaccination Against Polio Plus
- VDC — Village Development Committee
- VHP — Vaccine Handling Plan
- VIC — Village Information Centre
- VNR — Voluntary National Review
- VPA — Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights
- VPP — Vulnerability Prioritization Plan
W
- WASH — Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
- WB — World Bank
- WFP — World Food Programme
- WHO — World Health Organization
- WOMEN — Women, and Gender Equality Network
- WPI — Weighted Price Index
- WVI — World Vision International
X, Y, Z
- YEL — Youth Employment and Leadership
- YFS — Youth-Friendly Services
- ZIF — Zero Investment Fund
- ZUNIS — Zero Tolerance for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
There you have it— a comprehensive list of humanitarian acronyms. If you have any acronyms not listed that you’d like to be included, please let me know!
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Please note: the views and opinions expressed on this blog are that of my own and do not represent the opinions of any agency mentioned.