What is the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)?

Last updated 17 April 2025

Donate to the Myanmar Earthquake Appeal

What is the DEC?

When a major emergency occurs overseas, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) brings together 15 UK charities – the British Red Cross included – to raise funds for an effective, coordinated response. 

When you donate to a DEC appeal, the money goes on to each of the 15 member charities, who then deliver aid through their own operations in each affected area.

On 3 April 2025, the DEC launched the Myanmar Earthquake appeal in response to the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck on 28th March 2025, killing thousands of people and injuring countless more. 

The earthquake is a disaster on top of an already dire situation in a country where people are facing severe humanitarian challenges.

 

Donate to the DEC Myanmar Earthquake Appeal

 

How funds will be used

Funds from the DEC’s appeal will be used to support people affected by the earthquake in Myanmar, where the full scale of the disaster is still unfolding.

Hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of injured people and many people are without safe shelter, food, and access to clean water or healthcare

Six months ago, the country experienced devastating flooding impacting half the country, and is now entering its lean season, where food stocks are at their lowest. Communities that were already struggling, have now lost homes, loved ones, and access to clean water, food and basic services.

A donation to the DEC provides support for people most in need at that time and ensures that DEC charities are able to continue their vital work  as the situation evolves.

 

The DEC's history of emergency funding

Founded in 1963, the DEC's first appeal responded to the August 1966 earthquake in Varto, Turkey. Since then, the committee has run 77 appeals and raised more than £2.4 billion as disaster emergency funding, saving millions of lives and helping rebuild communities devastated by disasters.

The other charities on the committee are Action Against Hunger, ActionAid, Age International, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, Care, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, International Rescue Committee, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, Plan International, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.

“Pooling our resources to work as one, we are pivotal in co-ordinating the UK public's response to overseas disasters." The Disaster Emergency Committee 

 

The most recent DEC appeal was launched in April 2025, after the Myanmar Earthquake that struck on 28th March 2025. Measuring at 7.7 magnitude, it killed over 3,600 people and injured countless more. Prior to that, appeals were launched after the Turkey-Syria earthquake in 2023 and the 2022 Pakistan flood. There may be several active appeals the DEC is fundraising for at any time. They also monitor ongoing crises around the world that may develop into situations that meet their appeal criteria. 

• DEC appeals that are currently active
  

 

When does the DEC launch an appeal?

Appeals are only launched when the DEC know they can make a difference and that they can raise a substantial amount of money to help. There are many factors that go into deciding whether or not to launch an appeal. If a country has the capacity to respond to an emergency itself, there won't be a reason to launch an appeal campaign. Public awareness in the UK is another factor that contributes to the decision.

This is judged using the following appeal criteria:

• The disaster must be on such a scale and of such urgency as to call for swift international humanitarian assistance.
• The DEC’s member charities, or some of them, must be in a position to provide effective and swift humanitarian assistance at a scale to justify a national appeal.
• There must be reasonable grounds for concluding that a public appeal would be successful, either because of evidence of existing public sympathy for the humanitarian situation or because there is a compelling case indicating the likelihood of significant public support should an appeal be launched.

Recent DEC appeals with the British Red Cross

The last time a DEC appeal was launched after an earthquake prior to Myanmar was in February 2023, when the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal was launched, following two powerful earthquakes which impacted southern Turkiye (Turkey) and northern Syria. 

The earthquakes killed over 44,000 people with a further 70,000 injured. The earthquakes were estimated to have directly impacted 23 million people

Emergency responders from the Turkish Red Crescent and Syrian Arab Red Crescent were immediately on the ground providing urgent humanitarian relief and supporting rescue efforts. 

In Turkiye (Turkey) more than 350 mobile kitchens and 86 catering trucks were deployed to provide food for people in the weeks after the earthquake. As it happened during the winter, the Turkish Red Crescent aimed to deliver over 50,000 blankets, 10,000 electric heaters, 25,000 sleeping bags, and 25,000 beds to the region.

Across the border, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent delivered life-saving assistance and support to those in need in the regions of Hama, Aleppo, and Lattakia. 

Over 4,000 staff and volunteers and 53 Red Crescent ambulances were deployed to help with search and rescue efforts, providing first aid or transporting injured people to medical facilities. The Red Crescent also provided support on human remains management as well as restoring family links, providing psychosocial support services, establishing community shelters, and relief distributions.

 

How has the Red Cross been supporting people after the Myanmar earthquake?

The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) responded immediately after the earthquake struck on 28th March 2025. With volunteers throughout the country, MRCS provided support with search and rescue efforts, as well as providing healthcare through mobile clinics and ambulances. Their longstanding local presence and trust within communities has made them uniquely positioned to respond. 

MRCS has also been distributing aid including shelter materials and supporting families who have been separated.

MRCS is being supported by the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, to coordinate a large-scale humanitarian response. The International Federation of the Red Cross Network continues to provide technical support to MRCS, whilst the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) sent a team of 21 personnel to assist with search and rescue operations.