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The IASC Subsidiary Bodies assist in developing policy or operational guidelines for humanitarian assistance.

They also serve as a link between emergency relief and longer-term recovery and development activities. They usually focus on a particular policy issue but can at times also be created to address a specific emergency situation. Their work often forms the basis for IASC WG discussions and, ultimately, for IASC decisions.

The IASC Subsidiary Bodies can be categorized into four groups:

» Sub-Working Groups are established for an unlimited duration and are dedicated to long and medium-term policy issues in humanitarian response.
  1. SWG on the Consolidated Appeals Process
  2. SWG on Emergency Telecommunications
  3. SWG on Gender and Humanitarian Action
  4. SWG on Preparedness and Contingency Planning
» Task Forces are subsidiary bodies with a limited timeframe and the objective to complete specific tasks. This includes facilitating inter-agency co­ordination, providing guidance for large-scale emergencies (situation specific Task Forces: e.g. Task ForceTask Force on Assistance to Communities affected by the South Asia Earthquake) and drafting policy guidelines focusing on a particular issue (eg. Task Force on Mental Health and Psychological Support)
  1. Task Force on HIV in Humanitarian Situations
  2. Task Force on Safe Access to Firewood and Alternative Energy in Humanitarian Settings
» Reference Groups have a specific task and are of unlimited duration. They have an advisory role to the Working Group.  They may be established to continue the work accomplished by a former Task Force, as in the case of the Task Force on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support. After the delivery of the IASC Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Guidelines, the Task Force was transformed into a task-bound Reference Group to follow-up on the dissemination and implementation of their product.
  1. Reference Group on Human Rights and Humanitarian Action
  2. Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings
» Contact Groups are also of unlimited duration. The Contact Group on Good Humanitarian Donorship establishes a link between the IASC and the donor community with the Chair of the IASC Contact Group being the IASC's representative in the Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) Initiative. Unlike other subsidiary bodies, the Contact Group does not meet regularly but only in preparation of the annual GHD meetings or other events which have a direct impact on the work of the Contact Group.
  1. Contact Group on Good Humanitarian Donorship