STYLE GUIDE

United NationsOffi ce for the Coordinationof Humanitarian AffairsSTYLE GUIDEUnited NationsOffi ce for the Coordinationof Humanitarian Affairs

United NationsOffi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsEdition No. 2 / July 2010

CONTENTSIntroduction 1General writing guidelines 2Section 1: Grammar 3Section 2: Punctuation 6Section 3: Style 12Section 4: Numbers 22Section 5: Temperatures and Measurements 25Section 6: Commonly Misused Words and Phrases 26Section 7: Avoiding Unnecessary Words 31Section 8: Spelling List 33Section 9: Glossary 38ANNEXESI. Frequently Used Humanitarian Acronyms 40II. Footnotes and Bibliographies 44III. Useful resources 48For questions or feedback on the OCHA Style Guide,please e-mail the OCHA Reporting Unit at: ochareporting@un.org

United Nations references on terminology and dataThe United Nations Multilingual Terminology Databasehttp://unterm.un.org/dgaacs/unterm.nsf/Welcome?OpenPageHumanitarian Reform – the Cluster Approachhttp://ocha.unog.ch/humanitarianreform/Default.aspx?tabid=70UNAIDS Knowledge Centrehttp://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Default.aspOnline toolsCurrency converterhttp://www.xe.com/ucc/full/Conversion of weight, measure and temperaturehttp://www.onlineconversion.com/Time zone and date informationhttp://www.timeanddate.com/library/abbreviations/timezones/Style Guide | 49

ANNEX IIIUseful resourcesOfficial United Nations referencesUnited Nations Editorial Manual Onlinehttp://69.94.137.26/editorialcontrol/index.htmThe Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2008.http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/BOOK_SEARCH.html?book=t23OCHA references and training modulesThe OCHA Style Guide Module complements this guide. It offers advice,tips and quizzes to test your knowledge. The online module is onOCHAnet at:http://ochanet.unocha.org/AS/Reporting/Pages/TrainingModules.aspxThe OCHA Numbers Module gives simple and practical guidance on howto improve written communication involving numbers. The online moduleis on OCHAnet at:http://ochanet.unocha.org/AS/Reporting/Pages/TrainingModules.aspxThe OCHA Keep It Simple Module offers easy-to-follow guidance on howto write in a concise, simple but effective way. The online module is onOCHAnet at:http://ochanet.unocha.org/AS/Reporting/Pages/TrainingModules.aspxAlso visit the Reporting Resources section of OCHAnet for templates andcurrent guidance on core OCHA information products, such as situationreports, weekly reports and key messages.http://ochanet.unocha.org/AS/REPORTING/Pages/default.aspxReferences on writing, editing, publishing and usageThe Chicago Manual of Style, University of Chicago Presshttp://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/contents.htmlThe Economist Style Guidehttp://www.economist.com/research/styleguide/The Elements of Style, W. Strunk, Bartleby.comhttp://www.bartleby.com/141/The Times (UK), Online Style Guidehttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/tools_and_services/specials/style_guide/article986718.ece48 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsINTRODUCTIONAs a global organization, the United Nations Offi ce for the Coordinationof Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) faces many challenges in presenting auniform identity in its information products. Some inconsistencies aredue to the diverse personnel and practices within OCHA around theworld. Projecting a consistent message demands a consistent style.This second edition of the OCHA Style Guide is designed to help andencourage OCHA staff members to develop that consistency.Every organization has its individual stylistic differences, from TheEconomist, to the BBC to The New York Times. This guide is a quickreference for preferred United Nations style, as well as a reference forEnglish usage. The guide is not intended to impose limits on writers, butto help them produce work that meets professional standards, with afocus on needs for humanitarian reporting.In a working environment where the demand for information is constant,it is each staff member’s responsibility to ensure the quality of his/herwork. The quality and consistency of every communication refl ectsdirectly on the reputation of OCHA as a whole.This is not a comprehensive manual. The defi nitive authority onlanguage, style, usage and rules is the United Nations Editorial Manual(http://69.94.137.26/editorialcontrol/index.htm), in conjunction with theConcise Oxford Dictionary, eleventh edition. Any issue not resolved inthe OCHA Style Guide should be researched in those sources.This second edition is divided into new chapters and includes updatedguidance on grammatical and stylistic issues that often cause confusion.It includes rules on grammar, punctuation, spelling, terminology andusage, as well as advice on how to shorten certain phrases often usedin reporting.To complement the Style Guide, the OCHA Reporting Unit has produceda series of relevant training modules that are now available on OCHAnet(see Annex III on page 48 for more details). The French version of theOCHA Style Guide is also now available on OCHAnet.For more comments, suggestions or enquiries on specifi c issues, or foreditorial support, contact the OCHA Reporting Unit at: ochareporting@un.org.Style Guide | 1

GENERAL WRITING GUIDELINESWritten communications can take many forms in the work of OCHA, fromhigh-level reports to offi cial announcements. Some basic considerationswill help make your writing more engaging and effective.Think before draftingWhy am I writing?What is the subject?Who is the audience?Being able to answer these questions is critical. If any are unclear, trybrainstorming on your own or with colleagues to defi ne an approach.When you have identifi ed your objectives, it may help to sketch an outline,especially if you have a complex subject or extensive material. If thereis a template and/or a good prior example to follow, use it. Check thetemplates on OCHAnet under the Reporting Resources section.Aim for clarityKeep sentences short and simple.Use coherent paragraphs to provide structure.Give each paragraph a topic sentence.Consider various methods for structuring your paragraphs, such as bytheme, chronology, comparing and contrasting, or by cause and effect.Seven rules for simplicity1. State a fact or an idea directly.2. Use concrete rather than abstract words.3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.4. Use the active voice rather than the passive voice (see page 4).5. Avoid wordy sentences.6. Use appropriate language.7. Use verbs that are dynamic and action oriented.ProofreadBefore you submit your work, read it again carefully for any errors inlanguage or logic. Do not rely on the computer’s spell check to catch everymistake. For example, it will not notice Untied Nations.Practice makes perfectThe OCHA Reporting Unit has developed online training modules to helpOCHA staff members improve their written communications. The UnitedNations Editorial Manual Online also contains a series of online writingcourses. See Annex III on page 48 for the links.2 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairsinterview is cited in a report by a panel of experts whoconducted the interviews), the interviewer need not bespecifi ed.If the people interviewed are not named, write the sentence as:According to several international observers interviewed by thePanel in Nairobi on 18 September and 26 October 2002,….If the name of the interviewer is omitted, the footnote is writtenas:1Interview with Osman Ahmed Hassan, Head of SomalilandRepresentation to the United Kingdom, London, 4 January 2003.Style Guide | 47

Examples:Additional information on the impact of AIDS on older people andtheir families is available from www.helpage.org.orEfforts have been made to develop an effective networkfor volunteers through the World Volunteer Web (www.worldvolunteerweb.org).Personal communicationsReferences to personal communications (e.g. letters, e-mail,telephone conversations and discussions) may be given in the text orin a footnote and should include the following:• Sender or person providing the information.• Title or affi liation of sender, if relevant (normally included in afootnote).• Subject of the communication• Personal communication or type of communication (e.g.discussion, e-mail).• Recipient of information, if relevant.• Date of communication.• Do not include the sender’s e-mail address in references topersonal e-mail messages.ExamplesIn text:The World Health Organization has found an extremely highincidence of tuberculosis in all age groups throughout the region(Jason Doucette, personal communication, 29 May 2009).As a footnote:1Jason Doucette, World Health Organization, “Incidence oftuberculosis in southern Africa”, e-mail to author, 29 May 2009.InterviewsReferences to interviews may be given directly in the text or in afootnote. They should include the following information:••••Person interviewed, if appropriateInterviewer, if not apparent from contextPlace and date of interview, if knownWhen the person interviewed cannot be named, adescriptive term should be used instead. When the identityof the interviewer is apparent from the context (e.g. the46 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsSECTION 1GRAMMARCollective/Group NounsWhen using none or percentages, use a plural verb if the noun is acollective/group noun, such as benefi ciaries or households.Examples:• None of the benefi ciaries have received information.• Twenty per cent of households have been affected byfl oods.• Karang is one of the few villages in the region that are (not is)accessible.See also: Singular nounsDangling/Hanging ParticipleIf the fi rst part of a sentence does not refer to the noun that is thesubject in the main part of the sentence, it is a dangling or hangingparticiple. For example:After being trapped in the rubble for nine days, the USG met theearthquake survivors.After being trapped in the rubble for nine days refers to theearthquake survivors. However, the subject of the main part of thesentence is the USG. To avoid confusion, this can be rewordedas:After being trapped in the rubble for nine days, the earthquakesurvivors met the USG.orThe USG met the earthquake survivors who had been trapped inthe rubble for nine days.Style Guide | 3

Passive vs. ActiveBe direct and concise. Wherever possible, use the active voice (Aapproached B). This is more direct and concise than the passive voice(B was approached by A).Examples:• Active: WFP delivered food to 800 refugees.• Passive: Food was delivered to 800 refugees by WFP.Use the passive voice to emphasize or prioritize. The example below iswritten in the passive so that the emphasis is on the staff members wholost their lives:Example:• Five staff members were killed by members of the Taliban.Reported SpeechUse indirect speech to report something that was said or written, ratherthan the exact words. Quotation marks are not required. When usingindirect speech, use a verb in the past tense to indicate who deliveredthe information (He said/She stated/They confi rmed). A correspondingchange must then be made in verb tense in the statement beingreported.Examples:• Direct: The OCHA annual report is being launched today.• Indirect: He announced that the OCHA annual report wasbeing launched that day.• Direct: IDPs are in desperate need of clean water.• Indirect: The Secretary-General stated that IDPs were indesperate need of clean water.When reporting on statements that are universally true, keep thestatement in its original tense:The speaker noted that, under the Universal Declaration of HumanRights, everyone has [not had] the right to life, liberty and securityof person.Point to Note: Reported speech is used for documents includingsummary records, reports at the Secretary-General level, and theOCHA “Note for the File”.4 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsNewspaper articleFootnote form (fi rst footnote):E. Goode, “Friction Infi ltrates Sunni Patrol on Safer Iraqi Streets”,The New York Times, 22 September 2008.Bibliographic form:E. Goode (2008). Friction Infi ltrates Sunni Patrol on Safer IraqiStreets. The New York Times, 22 September.Published document/report (with organization as the author)Footnote form (fi rst footnote):Inter-Agency Standing Committee, Women, Girls, Boys and Men– Equal Opportunities: Gender Handbook in Humanitarian Action(Geneva 2006).Bibliographic form:Inter-Agency Standing Committee (2006). Women, Girls, Boys andMen – Equal Opportunities: Gender Handbook in HumanitarianAction. Geneva.Internet sourcesInternet sources are displayed with the URL in standard font (notitalics) and without angle brackets (< >). In hard copy, do notunderline the URL.PrefixesURL prefi xes such as http are always followed by a colon andtwo forward slashes. Omit the http from a reference when theURL contains www (e.g. www.unhcr.org). In all other cases, theprefi x must be included to ensure that the URL works (e.g. http://ochanet.unocha.org)References to material posted on a websiteThe URL should enable readers to fi nd the source materialeasily. When the source cannot easily be located from awebsite’s home page, provide a complete URL that directsreaders to the specifi c page or document on the website.References to an entire websiteWhen readers are referred to an entire website, or when awebsite is specifi cally mentioned in a document or publication,the URL can be given either directly in the text or in parenthesesafter the name of the website.Style Guide | 45

ANNEX IIFootnotes and BibliographiesFootnotesFootnotes give supplementary details, such as references,explanations and the author’s notes. They are set apart from themain body of text, appearing either at the bottom of the relevantpage or grouped at the end of the text (in which case they are moreaccurately called Endnotes).Numbering footnotesFootnotes are usually marked by superscript numerals. Theyshould be numbered consecutively throughout a document,not for each page or chapter separately. (To place a numeralin superscript in MS Word, highlight the numeral, go to Format,click Font, then tick Superscript.)If any punctuation immediately follows the word, phrase orsentence to which a footnote refers, place the footnote numberafter the punctuation.Place the footnote number after the fi nal round bracket if itrefers to a text in round brackets. Otherwise it should be placedimmediately after the word or phrase to which it refers.If a footnote refers to a quotation, place the footnote numberafter the fi nal quotation mark.BibliographiesA bibliography is a list of books and other works, such as journalarticles. Place the bibliography at the end of the document andarrange alphabetically.Layout for footnotes and bibliographiesThe layout for footnotes and bibliographies varies depending onthe nature of the publication and the format it was sourced from(e.g. online or print). All offi cial layout guidance is fully explained inthe Footnotes and other references section of the United NationsEditorial Manual Online. A selection of this guidance is outlinedbelow.44 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsSingular NounsWhen referring to a team, a Government, an organization or a country,use the singular verb.Examples:• The team is arriving next week.• The Government has issued a statement.• The United Nations is an international organization.• The Philippines has asked for international assistance.The noun number is singular if it follows the defi nite article the.Example:• The number of those attending is estimated at 400.Split InfinitivesThis is a common example of a split infi nitive: To boldly go whereno man has gone before. The infi nitive is to go. It has been split bythe adverb boldly. Use split infi nitives only if needed for emphasis orreadability. For example: They were advised to regularly check theire-mail reads clearer than They were advised to check regularly theire-mail.Style Guide | 5

SECTION 2PUNCTUATIONApostropheFor possessives:• Add ’s for singular possessive nouns (the organization’spolicy)• Add ’s for plural possessives not ending in s (children’srights)• Add ’ for plural possessive nouns ending in s (aid workers’security; farmers’ concerns; refugees’ rations)• For singular possessive words and names ending in s, use-s’s (John Holmes’s speech was prepared using informationfrom Charles’s report. The IRIN story included one witness’saccount of the confl ict.)Remember: ‘s never indicates plural:Correct: Several NGOs attended the meeting.Incorrect: Several NGO’s attended the meeting.If something belongs to more than one NGO (plural possessive):The NGOs’ decision was explained in the report.If something belongs to one NGO (singular possessive):The NGO’s decision was explained in the report.For timelines, where the time period modifi es a noun:• One month’s supply (singular)• Two weeks’ leave (plural)• Six months’ imprisonmentFor contractions:Avoid contractions unless in quoted material. If you must use them,remember:••it’s = it is (it’s a natural disaster)its = belongs to it (the organization changed its policy)See also: Section 3 - United Nations6 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsRHPT Regional Humanitarian Partnership TeamROAP Regional Offi ce for Asia and the Pacifi c (OCHA)ROCEA Regional Offi ce for Central and East Africa (OCHA)ROLAC Regional Offi ce for Latin America and the Caribbean(OCHA)ROSEA Regional Offi ce for Southern and Eastern Africa (OCHA)ROWCA Regional Offi ce for West and Central Africa (OCHA)SG Secretary-GeneralSCS Surge Capacity Section (OCHA)UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDSUNDAC United Nations Disaster Assessment and CoordinationUNDAF United Nations Development Assistance FrameworkUNDMT United Nations Disaster Management TeamUNDP United Nations Development ProgrammeUNETT United Nations Emergency Technical TeamUNF United Nations FoundationUNGIWG United Nations Geographic Information Working GroupUNHAS United Nations Humanitarian Air ServiceUNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUNHRD United Nations Humanitarian Response DepotUNICEF United Nations Children’s FundUNJLC United Nations Joint Logistics CentreUXO unexploded ordnanceVOSOCC Virtual On-Site Operations Coordination CentreWASH water, sanitation and hygieneWFP World Food ProgrammeWGET Working Group on Emergency TelecommunicationsWHO World Health OrganizationWMO World Meteorological OrganizationStyle Guide | 43

IGSS Intergovernmental Support Section (OCHA)IHL International Humanitarian LawIM information managementINSARAG International Search and Rescue Advisory GroupIPC Integrated Food Security and Humanitarian PhaseClassifi cationIRA Initial Rapid AssessmentIRIN Integrated Regional Information NetworksISDR International Strategy for Disaster ReductionISS Information Services Section (OCHA)ITS Information Technology Section (OCHA)JOTC Joint Operations Tasking CentreLSU Logistics Support Unit (OCHA)MCDA Military and Civil Defence AssetsNAF Needs Analysis FrameworkNATO North Atlantic Treaty OrganizationNDRA National Disaster Response AdviserNFI non-food itemsNGO non-governmental organizationODSG OCHA Donor Support GroupOECD Organization for Economic Co-operation andDevelopmentOSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in EuropePAHO Pan American Health OrganizationPDNA Post-Disaster Needs AssessmentPDSB Policy Development and Studies Branch (OCHA)PFRG Programme Funding Review Group (OCHA)PIC Pandemic Infl uenza Contingency (United Nations)POC Protection of Civilians Section (OCHA)PPAS Policy Planning and Analysis Section (OCHA)ProCap Protection Standby Capacity ProjectPRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy PaperPSNP Productive Safety Net ProgrammeRC/HC Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian CoordinatorRC Resident CoordinatorRDRA Regional Disaster Response AdviserREDLAC Regional Risk, Emergency and Disaster Task Force42 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsBrackets/ParenthesesUse parentheses (round brackets) for explanatory or side remarks inunquoted text. Place the punctuation outside the parentheses. If theentire sentence is inside the parentheses, then place the punctuationinside.••Examples:The city’s evacuation centres are currently hosting 216,941people (45,129 families).Clashes between tribal groups have created newdisplacement. (See the map on page 6 for details of theaffected areas.)Use square brackets in quoted material, usually to explain or specifyunclear or implied information.Example:• “We are hopeful that [the village leaders] will join thediscussions,” said the Minister.ColonThe colon indicates that what follows is an elaboration orexplanation. It can be used to introduce a list, an example or a texttable. Never place a dash after a colon.Example:• Do not wait for the perfect expertise: create assessmentteams with staff available on the ground.The word following the colon only starts with a capital letter if it isdirect speech, a proper noun or an acronym.When using a colon, do not separate the verb from the object.Correct: Three organizations attended the meeting: Oxfam, WFPand OCHA.Incorrect: The three organizations at the meeting were: Oxfam,WFP and OCHA.Style Guide | 7

CommaWhen writing a list, do not place a comma before the fi nal and unlessone of the items includes another and.Examples:• Governments, donors and aid agencies.• But : Governments, donors, aid agencies, and water andsanitation experts.Use a comma to separate explanatory information.Example:• Security in Gardez, the provincial capital, has deteriorated.(In this example, the provincial capital is explanatoryinformation.)Use a comma after the name of a location and its respective country.Example:• The Humanitarian Affairs Offi cer was deployed to Abéché,Chad, for six months.Use a comma between two independent parts of a sentence (clauses)that are linked by a conjunction (for, nor, but, or, yet, so).Example:• Security has improved, but access remains limited.Use a comma to set off an introductory phrase.Example:• According to WHO, three mobile clinics were damaged.Do not link two complete sentences with a comma (comma splice). Inthis case, use a semicolon.Example:• There is little food available; starvation threatens thousands.See also: Section 3 - Semicolons; Names8 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsERF Emergency Response FundERR Emergency Response RosterERRF Emergency Relief Response Fund (OCHA)ERSMB External Relations and Support Mobilization Branch(OCHA)ESB Emergency Services Branch (OCHA)ESS Evaluation and Studies Section (OCHA)ETC Emergency Telecommunications ClusterEU European UnionEWCPS Early Warning and Contingency Planning Section (OCHA)FCSS Field Coordination Support Section (OCHA)FSS Financing Support SectionFTS Financial Tracking ServiceGAT Gender Advisory Team (OCHA)GCMS Geographical Coordination and Monitoring Section (OCHA)GDACS Global Disaster Alert and Coordination SystemGenCap Gender Standby Capacity ProjectGHP Global Humanitarian PlatformGHDIG Good Humanitarian Donorship Implementation GroupGIS Geographic Information SystemGIST Geographic Information Support TeamGMP Guidance Management Project (OCHA)HAP Humanitarian Action PlanHC Humanitarian CoordinatorHCPT Humanitarian Community Partnership TeamHCT Humanitarian Country TeamHCSS Humanitarian Coordination Support Section (OCHA)HFA Hyogo Framework for ActionHIC Humanitarian Information CentreHIV/AIDS Human Immunodefi ciency Virus/Acquired ImmuneDefi ciency SyndromeHoO Head of Offi ceHRF Humanitarian Response FundIASC Inter-Agency Standing CommitteeIA-RTE Inter-Agency Real Time EvaluationICRC International Committee of the Red CrossICT information and communications technologyIDP internally displaced personIFRC International Federation of Red Cross andRed Crescent SocietiesIGO inter-governmental organizationStyle Guide | 41

ANNEX IFrequently used humanitarian acronyms3W Who does What WhereACE Assessment and Classifi cation of Emergencies (OCHA)AGEE Advisory Group on Environmental EmergenciesASEAN Association of Southeast Asian NationsAU African UnionBCPR Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (UNDP)BCRF Budgetary Cash Reserve Fund (OCHA)CADRI Capacity for Disaster Risk Reduction InitiativeCAP Consolidated Appeals ProcessCCCM Camp Coordination and Camp ManagementCERF Central Emergency Response FundCHF Common Humanitarian FundCISB Communications and Information Services Branch(OCHA)CMCS Civil-Military Coordination Section (OCHA)CMCOORD Civil-Military CoordinationCRD Coordination and Response Division (OCHA)CSS Communications Services Section (OCHA)CWGER Cluster Working Group on Early RecoveryDERS Donor and External Relations Section (OCHA)DOCO Development Operations Coordination Offi ceDPA Department of Political Affairs (United Nations)DPKO Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UnitedNations)DPSS Displacement and Protection Support Section (OCHA)DSRSG Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-GeneralDVPS Disaster and Vulnerability Policy Section (OCHA)ECHA Executive Committee on Humanitarian AffairsECOSOC Economic and Social Council (United Nations)EES Environmental Emergencies Section (OCHA)EMERCOM Emergency Control MinistryEPR Emergency Preparedness Response UnitEPS Emergency Preparedness Section (OCHA)ERCC Emergency Relief Coordination Centre (OCHA)40 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsDashUse the em dash (long dash) to set off a phrase or interjection — likethis — within a sentence. Use sparingly and never more than one pairper sentence.The en dash (short dash) is only used in the following cases:In a table of contents to indicate a range of paragraph numbers,e.g. 1-12To replace hyphens in a sub-list of a bulleted list. For example:• Clusters- Education- LogisticsIn cases where the en dash would normally be indicated, such “a UnitedNations/European Union initiative”, use the slash.Use the en dash if it is part of an offi cial title, such as “African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur”.To fi nd the em dash and en dash in Microsoft Word, go to Insert, clickSymbol then click Special Characters.EllipsisIf words are omitted within a quotation, replace with ellipsis (…).Example: “This is a major emergency … and the people affectedneed immediate help,” he said.Full stop (Period)Use full stops to help shorten sentences. Do not use full stops inacronyms, or at the end of headings and subheadings.See also: Section 3 - Acronyms; Bullet PointsStyle Guide | 9

HyphenHyphens bind words. Use hyphens when a compound (two or morewords in a phrase) is used as an adjective before a noun. Hyphenatea compound modifi er if one part of the compound is an adjective orgerund (ending in ing).••Examples:Food-insecure population (but: the population is foodinsecure)Income-generating activities (but: the activities are incomegenerating)Hyphenate compound adjectives to avoid ambiguity. Compare thesesentences:He bought a little used car.(Meaning: the car was small and had been used before.)He bought a little-used car.(Meaning: the car has rarely been used.)A cross section of the IDP camp(Meaning: A particular section of the IDP camp that is unhappy.)A cross-section of the IDP camp(Meaning: A representative group of the IDP camp.)Never use a hyphen after an adverb ending in -ly. (An adverbexplains how, when or where.)Examples:• This is a fi rmly established rule.• They crossed an internationally recognized State border.• UNDP rebuilt badly damaged roads.Common words and phrases that are hyphenated:Best-case scenarioCapacity-buildingChild-headed householdChild-friendly programmeConfl ict-affected region/peopleCyclone-affected region/peopleDecision-makingDrought-affected areas10 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsThe UNCT focuses on United Nations concerns, whereas the HCTaddresses strategic issues of the wider humanitarian community. TheHCT and the UNCT may coexist and do not replace each other. Toavoid confusion, always use whichever name is locally used.HIV/AIDSUse the acronym HIV/AIDS in reference to a pandemic. HIV (humanimmunodefi ciency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunedefi ciency syndrome). There are serious sensitivities to the languageused in discussion of HIV/AIDS. OCHA reporting should respect thesesensitivities where applicable. The UNAIDS Knowledge Centre hasuseful information at: http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Default.aspHouseholdsTypical household sizes vary by society and are therefore not a reliablemeasure to indicate the number of people. Use number of individualswhenever possible. It is appropriate to use when referring to specifi citems distributed per household, e.g. clean water kits, reconstructionkits.Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)People or groups of people who have been forced or obliged to leavetheir homes or habitual residence, in particular as a result of, or in orderto avoid, the effects of armed confl ict, situations of generalized violence,violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and whohave not crossed an internationally recognized State border.Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)OCHA is preferred to UNOCHA, UN-OCHA or UN OCHA. It is pronouncedas a word, not as letters. OCHA was previously titled the Department ofHumanitarian Affairs, created in 1991 after General Assembly resolution46/182.Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC)The functional title designed for an RC who also functions as the HC.The RC functions under the aegis of UNDP and leads the United NationsCountry Team. Do not use HC/RC. Always use RC/HC.Under-Secretary-General (USG)The USG for Humanitarian Affairs is the head of OCHA and leader of theExecutive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs. USG is the appropriatetitle for the head of OCHA when referring to matters within the specifi ccontext of the United Nations Secretariat. Always hyphenate the title.See also: Emergency Relief CoordinatorStyle Guide | 39

SECTION 9GLOSSARYAffectedPeople forced to cope with the consequences of a disaster, crisis orconfl ict (not including fatalities). When possible, disaggregate data onaffected populations by gender and age groups.BeneficiariesPeople affected by a situation (i.e. confl ict or disaster) who havereceived humanitarian assistance, services or protection. The term canbe applied in a general sense (all those who have received assistancein a particular emergency) or sector specifi c (those who have receivedassistance of a stated type).Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC)The ERC is the head of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, involvingkey United Nations and non-United Nations humanitarian partners.ERC is the appropriate title when referring to the head of OCHA inthe broader context of his/her role in the international humanitariancommunity. See also: Under-Secretary-GeneralFamineUse food shortage (chronic or acute, as appropriate).GenderGender-specifi c terminology is acceptable, i.e. chairman/chairwoman,spokesman/spokeswoman. Use –person if the individual prefers it orif it is part of the offi cial title.Humanitarian Coordinator (HC)The senior United Nations humanitarian offi cial at the country level.The HC is designated by the ERC, in consultation with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, when a situation demands intensivemanagement and/or massive humanitarian assistance. This issometimes the duty of the in-country Resident Coordinator. See also:Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian CoordinatorUnited Nations Country Team (UNCT)/Humanitarian Country Team (HCT)The UNCT comprises all representatives of United Nations agenciesand IOM. The HCT includes only relevant representatives of UnitedNations agencies, as well as non-United Nations humanitarian actors.38 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsFive-year planFood-insecure populationFund-raisingGender-based violenceIncome-generating programmeLong-standing agreementLong-term planMid-year; mid-OctoberShort-term planSudden-onset disasterWorst-case scenarioSee also: Section 4 – Numbers; Section 8 - Spelling ListSemicolonUse the semicolon where there is no conjunction, such as and orbut, and where a comma would be ungrammatical. It can be used toseparate two related sentences:Example:• Roads in the north-east are fl ooded; delivery convoys cannotpass.To avoid confusion in a list that contains several commas, use asemicolon in place of commas.Examples:• The Flash Appeal was launched by the Secretary-General,Ban Ki-moon; the UN Special Envoy for Haiti, Bill Clinton; theEmergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes; and AmbassadorLeo Mérorès of Haiti.•Earthquakes could hit Karachi, Pakistan; Kathmandu, Nepal;and Lima, Peru.Style Guide | 11

SECTION 3STYLEArmed ForcesUse upper-case for the full offi cial name of a specifi c force. Uselower-case when used generically.Examples:• The Rwandan army, the Rwandan Patriotic Army; the AirForce of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwean air force.Abbreviations and AcronymsAlways explain*. In running text, use the full name on fi rst mentionand then follow it with the acronym, abbreviation or short name inparentheses. However, if the name is not repeated in the text, do notfollow it with the acronym. In a table or limited space, abbreviation orshortened form is acceptable.•• Do not use full stops/periods within acronyms ( UNDP notU.N.D.P).Do not use abbreviations in titles or headings.• Do not use the as part of an organization’s name inacronyms (WFP not the WFP). (Annex I of this guidecontains a list of common acronyms and abbreviations.)• When deciding whether to use a or an with abbreviations, beguided by pronunciation (an MSF programme).*Always explain acronyms in formal documents. For internal reporting and informaldocuments, explain acronyms if there is a lack of clarity around the acronym or if it is notwidely used.AccentsAlways respect the use of accents and special characters in thenames of people and organizations.Example:• Médecins Sans Frontières is conducting assessments inPetit-Goâve, Haiti.Tip: To fi nd accents and special characters in Microsoft Word, go toInsert then click Symbol.12 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairsshanty townshortlist (noun and verb)slum-dwellersocio-economicstandby (noun and adjective)staff membersubgroupsub-offi cesub-Saharansudden-onset disasterTtraffi cs, traffi cked, traffi ckingtime frametimelinetimescaletontowardstravelled, travellingUUnder-Secretary-Generalunder age 5under-fi ve mortalityunderfundedunder wayUnited Nations Country Team*user-friendlyVvalue addedvis-à-visWwastewaterwaterborneWeb (World Wide Web)webcastwebsiteweekdaywell-beingworldwideworkplanStyle Guide | 37

non-governmentalno onenon-refoulementOold age (noun)old-age (adj.)ongoingonlineoccupied Palestinian territory (oPt)over age 5Ppeacebuildingpeacekeeper, peacekeepingper cent*practice (noun)practise (verb)preschoolpre-position (verb)principal (fi rst in rank) (noun and adj.)principle (fundamental truth) (noun)program (computing only)programmeProvince (in named references)psychosocialpublic-health (adj.)Rrainwaterre-electre-emphasizerefoulementregion-wideRichter scalerisk reduction (noun and adj.)roadblockroad mapSself- (compound forms are hyphenated)set-up (noun)school-age (adjective)Secretary-General36 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsBan Ki-moonAlways hyphenate the fi nal two words and use a lower-case m.See also: Job TitlesBullet PointsWhen items introduced by bullet points are short (equivalent to alist), no punctuation follows the items. If the items consist of wholesentences, use a full stop after each item. Do not use semicolonswith bullet points.See also: FormattingCapitalizationIn running text, only use initial capitals for proper names; offi cial titlesof people; organizations and institutions; names of states; and forspecifi c terms such as Member States.For titles of books, periodicals and United Nations publications,capitalize all words except articles, conjunctions and prepositions,such as and, of, the, with, to.For titles of United Nations documents, capitalize only the fi rst word,proper nouns and other words normally capitalized for headings ofchapters, sections, subsections, fi gures, map legends, and titles ofarticles and unpublished papers.Capitalization guidelines can be found in the United Nations EditorialManual Online at: http://69.94.137.26/editorialcontrol/ed-guidelines/style/capitalization.htmSee also: Armed Forces; Geographic References; Headings; JobTitles.Style Guide | 13

Country NamesIn offi cial correspondence, use the full country name on fi rstreference (e.g. the United Republic of Tanzania). Use the short formthereafter (Tanzania).Use short form or abbreviation in informal correspondenceor if space is limited, e.g. DPRK, DRC, oPt. Always spell outabbreviations on fi rst mention.UK and US may be used as adjectives (e.g. a UK agreement).If citing several countries in running text, list them in alphabeticalorder.Country names are listed in the United Nations MultilingualTerminology Database at: http://unterm.un.org.CurrencyThe US dollar is the currency of reference. On fi rst mention of thecurrency, write US$. Thereafter use $. Do not insert a space betweenthe symbol and the number.In headlines, use $ (not US$). For keyboards without the $ symbol,write USD.When referring to another currency, give the US-dollar equivalent inparentheses.Example:• An appeal for US$33 million was launched on 1 November.To date, $10 million has been donated to the appeal. TheAustralian Government donated A$1 million ($925,000).When writing the name of a currency in full, do not capitalize (e.g.Colombian peso, Egyptian pound, Swiss franc).Dollar amounts take the singular verb:• More than US$50,000 has been pledged.Dollars as a noun take the plural verb:• Not enough dollars are being allocated to help victims.14 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsIincome generation (noun)income-generation (adj.)in depth (adv.)in-depth (adj.)in kind (adj. and adv.)inter-agencyinter-ethnicintergovernmentalInternetKkilogram(s) (kg)kilometre(s) (km)Llabourlandmineliaisonlicence (noun)license (verb)life-saving (adj.)long-standing (adj.)long-term (adj.)loose (not bound or tight) (adj.)lose (cease to have) (verb)MMember Statemetre(s) (unit of length)meter (instrument that measures)mid-1990s, mid-2004midterm/midway/midweek/midyearmine clearance (noun, preferable to demining)mine-clearance (adj.)mosquito/mosquitoesmuch-needed (adj.)multi-countrymulti-donormulti-ethnicmultinationalNnationwideneighbourStyle Guide | 35

Ddecision makerdecision-making (noun and adj.)defence (but: US Dept. of Defense; Israel Defense Forces)diarrhoea*discreet (prudent)discrete* (separate)disinterested (impartial)Eearly warning systemEid al-AdhaEid al-Fitre-mailenquire, enquiry (request for information)every day (adv.)everyday (adj.)eyewitnessFfi eldwork, fi eldworkerfl ash floodfocused, focusingfollow-up (noun and adjective)foodgrainsfoodstufffi rst-hand (adj. and adv.)fl ash floodfreshwater (noun and adj.)fund-raising (noun and adj.)Ggender-based violencegender-specifi cgram(s)groundwater (noun and adj.)Hhand grenadehealth care (noun)health-care (adj.)high-mortality-risk groups34 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsDatesDates are written as the day followed by the month and year. Nocommas are needed. Do not use ordinal suffi xes, e.g. 1 st , 15 th , 22 nd .Example:• Stevie Wonder became a United Nations Messenger ofPeace on 3 December 2009.In tables or limited spaces, use the numeric form: 03.12.09.When expressing a range of dates, choose from the following:• From... to...• Between... and...• On... and...• A hyphen (only in a table)Do not mix the above, e.g. do not use from with and, or between witha hyphen.Give specifi c dates where possible. Avoid vague expressions suchas last week or next Tuesday.Avoid using weekend, as certain countries have different weekendsFontTimes New Roman 12 point and Arial 11 point are the preferred fontsfor OCHA correspondence. For additional guidelines, refer to therelevant document template.Foreign WordsUse italics for foreign words that do not appear in the eleventhedition of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Do not use italicsfor organizations with non-English names, e.g., Médecins SansFrontières.Style Guide | 15

FormattingIn running text, justify paragraphs, use Normal style with singlespacing, separated by one line. Use one space between the full stopand the following sentence. Never use double spacing. Avoid widows(very short lines at the end of a paragraph) and orphans (very shortlines at the top of a page or column).See also: Bullet PointsGeographic ReferencesCapitalize when referring to an offi cial place name or a majorgeographical region. Use lower-case for geographical directionor as a general reference to an area within a country. Hyphenatecompound words.Examples:• The Government of Southern Sudan; the north-west of thecountry; south-eastern Afghanistan; North-South dialogue;the Middle East; The Hague; Somalia; South-East Asia;Western Europe; East Africa; southern Lebanon.GovernmentUse upper-case when referring to the ruling entity of a country. Uselower-case for the general concept of government, or when referringto more than one government.Examples:• The group leaders have agreed to talks with theGovernment.• The governments of Fiji and Tonga opposed the resolution.HeadingsIn document headings, only use initial capitals for the fi rst wordand proper nouns, such as the names of places, organizations andspecifi c people.Exception: All words in OCHA press release headings are in capitals.For specifi c formatting guidelines, refer to the relevant documenttemplate.See also: Capitalization.16 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsSECTION 8SPELLING LIST(adapted from the United Nations Editorial Manual)••adj. = adjectiveadv. = adverb• * indicates a change from the fi rst edition of the OCHA Style GuideAabove-mentionedadviserairliftairdropAl-Qaidaantenatalantimalarialanti-povertyasylum-seekerBBan Ki-moonbednetbirth ratebreak down (verb)breakdown (noun)build up (verb)build-up (noun)Ccash for workcash-for-work programmecancelled, cancellingcapacity-building (noun and adj.)caseloadceasefi recheckpointchildbearingchildbirthcivilian policecooperatecoordinatecost plancountrywidecoup d’étatStyle Guide | 33

the generous support of donors donors’ generous supportthe workshop was facilitatedby OCHAOCHA facilitated the workshopthey are able to/will be able to they canthey reached a total of 3 millionpeoplethey reached 3 million peoplethey treated a total of 85 patients they treated 85 patientstogether with withvery urgent criticalwhilst whilewith regards to regardingworked together with worked with32 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsItalicsUse italics for the following:•••• Foreign words that do not appear in Oxford.Titles of books, periodicals, newspapers, fi lms, television andradio programmes.Titles of offi cial United Nations publications.Titles of court cases and foreign-language laws and decrees.Do not use italics for emphasis.Do not use italics for non-English organization names.The titles of articles or documents are given between quotation marks.–ize, –ization, –yseUse –ize and –ization, not –ise and –isation, as indicated in theConcise Oxford English Dictionary. Examples: organize; memorize.Exceptions: advertise, advise, apprise, chastise, circumcise, comprise,compromise, demise, despise, devise, enterprise, excise, exercise,franchise, improvise, incise, premise, revise, supervise, surmise,surprise, televiseUse –yse, not –yze. Examples: analyse; catalyse; paralyse.See also: Spelling.Job TitlesUse initial capitals for the titles of specifi c posts. Use lower-case fornon-specifi c posts.Examples:• The OCHA Public Information Offi cer organized the workshop•in Juba. She invited the public information offi cers from severalhumanitarian organizations.The Minister of Finance of Japan chaired the meeting offi nance ministers.•••Remember:Secretary-General and Under-Secretary-General (alwayshyphenate)Assistant Secretary-General (only hyphenate the last twowords)Special Representative of the Secretary-General (onlyhyphenate the last two words)Style Guide | 17

Multi–Compound forms are closed (no hyphen). Exceptions: multi-access;multi-bilateral; multi-cause; multi-centred; multi-client; multi-country;multi-donor; multi-ethnic; multi-faith; multi-hazard; multi-purpose;multi-skilled; multi-stakeholder; multi-storey; multi-user; multi-utility;multi-year.See also: Prefi xesNamesUse fi rst and last name on fi rst reference, without honorifi c. Forsubsequent mentions of the name, use the honorifi c Mr., Mrs. orMs. and the last name. For children, use fi rst name alone after fullmention. Use Dr. for medical doctor only.See also: Ban Ki-moonNames of locationsWhen referencing offi cial place names, always ensure accurate andconsistent spelling throughout the document. Ensure the namesconform to United Nations standards. Check the United NationsMultilingual Terminology Database (UNTERM) or offi cial maps.Official CorrespondenceFor offi cial OCHA correspondence, please refer to the OCHACorrespondence Manual. It is the offi cial guide for drafting,processing and dispatching offi cial OCHA communications inEnglish. The manual is located on OCHAnet under the CommunityContent section.PrefixesCertain prefi xes may or may not be hyphenated, e.g. coexist; copayment;multilingual; multi-access; subcommittee; sub-group. Referto the spelling section of the United Nations Editorial Manual Online.Per centSee: Section 4 – Numbers18 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsSECTION 7AVOIDING UNNECESSARY WORDSBelow are suggestions on how to shorten phrases often used in OCHAdocuments.LONG SHORTa large proportion of manyamongst amongareas that are affected by drought drought-affected areasas to whether whethercut back cut/reducedue to the fact that becauseduring the duration of during/throughoutduring the month of May during Mayfor a period of x months for x monthshe carried out a visit to he visitedin addition to besides/as well asin an emergency situation in an emergencyin bad weather conditions in bad weatherin collaboration with within order to toin spite of the fact that althoughin the event of ifin the majority of instances mostlyin two weeks’ time in two weeksis of the opinion believesit is a situation that is the situation isjoint cooperation cooperationmeet with meeton a monthly basis monthlyoutside of the humanitarian response planoutside the humanitarianresponse planowing to the fact that becauseput an end to stopreported to be reportedlystill continues to be ongoing continuesstill ongoing ongoingthe aim of the programme is the programme aims toStyle Guide | 31

While/WhilstBoth are grammatically correct and have the same meaning. It ismore common to use while in everyday writing.Who’s/WhoseWho’s is an abbreviation of who is. Whose means of whom.30 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsQuotationsUse double quotation marks for quoted (verbatim) words, phrases,sentences and paragraphs. For a quotation within a quotation, usesingle marks. Place the punctuation outside the quotation marks.If the punctuation pertains to the quoted words, as in a completesentence or question, place the punctuation inside the quotationmarks.Examples:• The Government has accused the NGO of “espionage andsubterfuge”.• The President said: “We will not countenance thisbehaviour.”Use double quotation marks for a word or phrase used in referenceto its own meaning.Example:• The use of the term “genocide” remains contentious.Note: United Nations style for quotations combines UK and USstandards, using double quotation marks fi rst (US), but with UKpunctuation style.SpellingUnited Nations spelling generally follows the UK standard of spellingas given in the Concise Oxford Dictionary, eleventh edition.Ending forms follow UK (rather than US) convention:–re (centre, theatre); –our (colour, neighbour, favour); double l(travelled, cancelled).Spell organization names exactly as offi cial name.Example: Center for Disaster RecoveryTip: Set your computer to English UK spelling. Click: Tools/Language/Set Language: English U.K.See also: –izeStyle Guide | 19

SeasonsUse with care, as seasons relate to different months of the yearin the northern and southern hemispheres. Write the name of themonth(s) to clarify. Winter, spring, summer and autumn are generallynot capitalized.Provide a time context where appropriate for regional or localseasonal designations (e.g. dry season, monsoon season, deyr).See also: WeatherTimeDo not use o’clock. Use a.m. or p.m. (lower-case). Insert a spacebetween the numeral(s) and a.m./p.m.Example:• They met at 8.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.Do not use 12 a.m. or 12 p.m., as they are easily misunderstood.Use midnight or noon.Where appropriate, the 24-hour system may be used. Use fourfi gures, no punctuation, with hours following (e.g. 1330 hours is 1.30p.m.).When referring to time in a document such as a situation report,always clarify if the time is local time.Time zone details can be found at: http://www.timeanddate.com/library/abbreviations/timezones/United NationsDo not use an apostrophe when referring to the United Nations in thepossessive.Example: United Nations Headquarters; United Nations policy;United Nations statement.See also: Apostrophe20 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsPeople/PersonPeople is plural, person refers to one individual.When referring to more than one person, use people, not persons.Exception: internally displaced persons and missing persons.People can also be used as a collective noun to refer to an ethniccommunity, a race or a nationality.Principal/PrinciplePrincipal means fi rst in rank or importance (noun or adjective).Principle means a fundamental law or moral rule.Examples:The school principal met with teachers and parents (noun).The principal objective is to support the work of the EmergencyRelief Coordinator (adjective).The group discussed the basic principles of humanitarian law.That/WhichThat defi nes information. It introduces an essential part of asentence, otherwise known as a defi ning clause. The words followingthat are vital to the part of the sentence that comes before it. Nocomma is required before that.Example:The coordination meeting that took place on 15 Septemberfocused on the cholera outbreak. (There may have been severalcoordination meetings that week, but using that focuses on the15 September meeting.)Which gives more information. It introduces additional, non-essentialinformation and indicates a non-defi ning clause. In other words, thesection of the sentence following which can be removed withoutchanging the meaning. Place a comma before and after this sectionof the sentence.Example:The coordination meeting, which took place on 15 September,focused on the cholera outbreak. (The non-defi ning clause(which took place on 15 September) gives additional informationabout the date of the meeting. Remove it and the sentence stillgives readers the key information.)Style Guide | 29

compared to the response following the 2004 tsunami.Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?Tip: One way to remember the above is that you would say “I amsimilar to you”, not “I am similar with you”.Compose/CompriseComprise is to include or to contain.Compose is to make or form the basis of something.Examples:The working group comprises 10 members.The Secretary-General’s speech was composed from variousbackground documents.ImpactUse only as a noun, not as a verb. Impacted is a surgical term for aningrown tooth, not a synonym for affected.Example:The OCHA Style Guide will have a positive impact on theorganization.Incidence/IncidentIncident means the occurrence of an event or a disturbance.Incidence is the rate at which something occurs, usually a disease.Examples:The kidnapping incident shocked the humanitarian community.The meeting focused on the high incidence of cholera.Less/FewerLess describes amount or degree; fewer describes number.Examples:The recent hurricane caused less damage than HurricaneAndrew.There are fewer donor agencies interested in the situation.28 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsWeatherWhen referring to typhoons and hurricanes, only use upper-case Tand H when referring to the name of a specifi c typhoon or hurricane.Example:• Typhoon Joe is the strongest typhoon to hit the region so farthis year.The correct terminology for weather patterns depends on thelocation:Hurricane: North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacifi c OceanTyphoon: North-West Pacifi c Ocean through the Philippines, China,Vietnam and JapanCyclone: Indian Ocean and South Pacifi c Ocean (southernhemisphere)Use italics for the name of seasonal designations in a foreignlanguage, such as deyr.Working groupsIf referring to a specifi c working group, use upper-case W and G.Otherwise use lower-case.Example:• The Climate Change Working Group was the most heavilyattended working group.Style Guide | 21

SECTION 4NUMBERS*• Spell out one to nine in running text. Use numerals for 10 andabove, up to 999,999. Exception: if a sentence lists two or morenumbers to which different rules apply, the rule applying to thehigher number applies to all. Example: Representatives from 12African, 8 Asian and 5 Latin American countries attended themeeting.•Use numerals for ages, dates, decimals, degrees, pagereferences, percentages and measurements(8kg; 7 per cent; 6 years old; 0.5° C).•Write the number as a numeral for millions, billions and trillions(16 billion; 1.2 million).•Use a comma, not a full stop, to denote thousands and millions(1,234; 3,430,500).•Do not start a sentence with a fi gure: spell it out. Hyphenate thenumber if it consists of two words. Exception: a sentence canstart with a year written as a fi gure.• Express ranges of numbers in full, i.e. $2million to $3million not$2 to $3 million, as this could be taken literally.•If the unit of measure is written out or abbreviated, only use itafter the second fi gure. Example: Current supplies will last 12-16months (not 12 months-16 months).• Do not abbreviate number with the # symbol. Use No.(e.g. in tables and sitreps).•Do not insert numerals in parentheses after numbers written inwords, e.g. two (2).See also: Section 6 – Among/Between* For more guidance and training on numbers, see the OCHANumbers training module at: http://ochanet.unocha.org/AS/Reporting/Pages/TrainingModules.aspx22 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsAffect/Effectaffect (verb): to infl uence, often with negative implication. Thefi ghting will affect civilians’ safety.effect (verb): to cause. The new coordination procedures weredesigned to effect positive change.effect (noun): the result or outcome of an action or event. Theconfl ict’s damaging effects were evident.Among/BetweenUse between in reference to two items, among for three or more.Example:The war between the Government and the insurgents hasintensifi ed.The group members decided among themselves how to addressthe situation.When using between with numbers, do not use it with to.Example:The landslide displaced between 400 and 600 people.Not: The landslide displaced between 400 to 600 people.BiannualBimonthly, biweekly and biyearly are ambiguous: they mean eitheroccurring twice a month/week/year, or occurring every other month/week/year. Try to avoid these words entirely. Write twice a month/week/year and every other month/week/year (or every two months/weeks/years), as appropriate.Compare to/Compare withA is compared with B when highlighting the difference.Example:Funding levels were lower compared with funding contributionsfollowing previous disasters.A is compared to B when highlighting similarities.Example:The international response to the earthquake in Haiti has beenStyle Guide | 27

SECTION 6COMMONLY MISUSED WORDSAND PHRASESAcute/ChronicAcute means short but severe.Chronic means ongoing or constantly recurring.AdvocateAdvocate means to support, recommend, or speak in favour of aperson or an action.A person or organization advocates something. The words for oragainst are not used after advocate in this sense.Examples:OCHA advocates humanitarian reform.The Economist advocated a surge of troops to Afghanistan.A person or organization can advocate for someone, meaning onbehalf of.Examples:The Secretary-General advocated for people trapped in closedcamps.UNICEF advocates for children.A person or organization can be an advocate of something, meaningin favour of.Examples:Dr. Martin Luther King was an advocate of human rights.President Obama is an advocate of change.A lotAlways written as two words, not one.Among/AmongstBoth are grammatically correct and have the same meaning. It ismore common to use among in everyday writing.26 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsAgesUse numerals for ages. Only hyphenate the age when it modifi es anoun.Examples:• A 98-year-old man was rescued from the rubble.• The man rescued from the rubble is 98 years old.••Tetanus vaccines are available for 7-year-old children.Tetanus vaccines are available for children who are 7 yearsold.Exception: When referring to the under-fi ve mortality rate, the age isexpressed as a hyphenated word when used as a modifi er. In othercases, it is expressed as under age 5.Example:• The under-fi ve mortality rate has declined.• But : Mortality rates have declined for children under age 5.FractionsSpell out simple fractions. Use percentage (or decimal) for complexfi gures. Do not use fi gures with a slash or stroke (2/3 of thepopulation). Instead, write out the fraction in words (two thirds of thepopulation).Fractions expressed in words are only hyphenated when used as anadjective.Example:• One third of the totalBut:•A one-third shareNumbers as compound wordsHyphenate compound words that involve a number.Examples:• A two-week ration; a three-week mission; a 35-passengerplane.Style Guide | 23

Ordinal NumbersOrdinal numbers from fi rst to ninety-ninth are expressed in words formost ordinary purposes. Write ordinals in fi gures to indicate:• Meeting numbers ( 2nd meeting; 3rd meeting)• Floors: ( 4th fl oor; 38th fl oor)Per centWrite as two words. Write the numbers as fi gures before per cent.This includes one to nine.Example: More than 5 per cent of the population was affected.Only use the % symbol in tables or limited spaces, not in runningtext. In tables, use a fi gure with no space between the fi gure and the% symbol.See also: Section 6 – Among/Between24 | United Nations Offi ce for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsSECTION 5TEMPERATURES AND MEASUREMENTSKilometreSpell the word kilometres in full when a specifi c number is not used,i.e. The water supply is several kilometres away.As a specifi c unit of measure, abbreviate the word to km when usedwith fi gures (including one to nine). Insert a space between the fi gureand km.Example:• The camp is 12 km from the border. The fence is 3 m tall.MetreA metre is a length of measure. A meter is an instrument formeasuring.TemperatureUse Celsius, always with numerals (including one to nine). Use thedegree symbol with the C, with a space between (38° C).The Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion formula is: C = (F minus 32) /1.8An online temperature conversion is at: http://www.onlineconversion.com/temperature.htmTonNot tonne. In standard United Nations terminology, ton denotesmetric tons (MT = 1,000kg, 2,204lbs), not short tons (2,000lbs) orlong tons (2,240lbs). Spell out ton.Style Guide | 25