# ReliefWeb

> humanitarian information web portal

**Wikidata**: [Q11348577](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11348577)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReliefWeb)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/reliefweb

## Summary
ReliefWeb is a humanitarian information web portal operated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Founded in 1996, it serves as a specialized news website and online repository for humanitarian crisis data and updates. The platform is administered from headquarters in Nairobi, New York City, and Bangkok.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** It is identified as a humanitarian information web portal, a news website, and a website.
- **Parent Organization:** United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
- **Inception:** The service was founded in 1996.
- **Headquarters Locations:** The organization operates from Nairobi, New York City, and Bangkok.
- **Official Website:** The primary URL is https://reliefweb.int/.
- **Social Media Reach:** As of February 9, 2023, the platform's verified Twitter account had 123,482 followers.
- **Digital Presence:** It maintains official accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Telegram.
- **Wikipedia Scope:** The entity is tracked by WikiProject Human rights and has Wikipedia entries in over 10 languages, including English, Arabic, French, Japanese, and Spanish.

## FAQs
### Q: What is ReliefWeb?
A: ReliefWeb is a humanitarian information web portal and news website dedicated to disseminating information regarding humanitarian crises and situations. It is operated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

### Q: When was ReliefWeb founded?
A: ReliefWeb was founded in 1996.

### Q: Who operates ReliefWeb?
A: The portal is operated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), with operational headquarters located in Nairobi, New York City, and Bangkok.

## Why It Matters
ReliefWeb serves as a critical digital infrastructure component for the global humanitarian sector. By functioning as a dedicated web portal for humanitarian information, it centralizes data, news, and reports that might otherwise be scattered across disparate sources. This aggregation supports the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in its mandate to coordinate effective humanitarian action.

The platform's longevity—operating since 1996—demonstrates its sustained relevance in the digital age, adapting from early web technologies to modern social media channels like Twitter and Telegram to disseminate urgent information. Its association with WikiProject Human rights highlights its role in documenting issues fundamental to human welfare. For relief workers, policymakers, and researchers, ReliefWeb provides a verified, primary source of information that aids in decision-making and response coordination during crises.

## Notable For
- **Sector Authority:** Being the primary humanitarian information portal managed by the United Nations OCHA.
- **Global Operations:** Maintaining a tri-continental operational footprint with headquarters in Nairobi, New York City, and Bangkok.
- **Longevity:** Operating continuously as a digital humanitarian resource since 1996.
- **Multilingual Access:** Offering content and summaries in multiple languages, including a Wikipedia presence in Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Japanese, and others.
- **Verified Information:** Operating verified social media channels (e.g., Twitter) to distribute real-time updates to a follower base of over 123,000 users.

## Body
### Organizational Structure and Governance
ReliefWeb functions under the auspices of the **United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)**. The organization describes itself broadly as a "humanitarian information web portal" and a "news website." Its governance ties it directly to UN humanitarian coordination efforts. The platform is recognized within the Wikimedia ecosystem, specifically listed under "WikiProject Human rights," indicating its subject matter relevance to global rights and aid tracking.

### Operational History and Locations
The portal was established in **1996**. Unlike organizations centered in a single location, ReliefWeb operates through a distributed network of headquarters. Key operational hubs are located in:
*   **Nairobi**
*   **New York City**
*   **Bangkok**

### Digital Footprint and Technical Specifications
ReliefWeb maintains a robust digital presence designed for information dissemination.
*   **Primary Domain:** The official website is accessible at `https://reliefweb.int/`.
*   **Content Feeds:** Users can access updates via an official RSS feed located at `https://reliefweb.int/rss`.
*   **Social Media:** The organization utilizes multiple platforms for outreach, including:
    *   **Twitter:** Handle `@reliefweb` (Verified; User ID: 19993545; Active since Feb 3, 2009).
    *   **Facebook:** Handle `reliefweb`.
    *   **Instagram:** Handle `@reliefweb1996`.
    *   **LinkedIn:** Handle `reliefweb`.
    *   **Telegram:** Accessible via the username/ID `8QT4PI32MbY3MDdh`.

### Audience and Engagement
The platform has demonstrated consistent growth in its social media audience. Specific data points regarding its Twitter following include:
*   **Jan 6, 2021:** 112,335 followers.
*   **Feb 26, 2022:** 118,680 followers.
*   **Feb 9, 2023:** 123,482 followers.