Global Symposium 5

1

• Global Symposium 5
• Information for Humanitarian Action
• Palais des Nations, Geneva
• 22 26 October 2007
• Working Group 2
• Humanitarian Information Exchange
• in the Field

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• Key Issues
• Integration of Information Management into the
  Humanitarian Reform process
• Assessments, Classification and Analysis
• Data Gathering / Benchmarks / SOPs /
  Dissemination
• Training, Contingency Planning, and Preparedness

3
Integration of Information Management into the
Humanitarian Reform process

• Institutional roles, responsibilities, and SOPs
  of humanitarian information management must be
  integrated into the Humanitarian Reform Process
• This requires clear IM and analysis
  responsibility within each cluster and at the
  Heads of Clusters forum
• This is essential for sharing cross-cutting
  information needed by the broad humanitarian
  community

Integration of Humanitarian Information
Management into the Humanitarian Reform process
4
The way forward

• Use and build on existing IASC endorsed IM
  Guidance, SOPs, and ToRs
• Develop and endorse guidance and policy on
  information flow, gathering, analysis, and
  dissemination through the IASC
• Develop guidance and policy on the roles,
  responsibilities, and accountabilities of
  humanitarian actors
• Consolidate and link the multiple tools, check
  lists, and SOPs in use by various agencies to
  build a more interoperable, unified system.

Integration of Humanitarian Information
Management into the Humanitarian Reform process
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The way forward

• Endorse IM at Senior Management Levels
• The ERC (as ERC for the humanitarian system, not
  merely as Head of OCHA) should champion the need
  for IM as a high priority within emergency
  response
• Build an IM Skill Set
• Identify and enforce staffing structures for IM
  in each Cluster and at a cross cutting levels
• Agree on and use ToRs and job descriptions for IM
  professionals in the Clusters and UNDAC.

Integration of Humanitarian Information
Management into the Humanitarian Reform process
6
Assessments, Classification, and Analysis

• Decisions makers should be provided with timely,
  accurate, relevant, and objective analysis
• However, IM is often undertaken in an
  inconsistent manner and not based on the
  strategic and operational information needs of
  decision makers
• This can lead to inefficient use of resources,
  gaps and duplication, delays, lack of
  coordination, and poor targeting

Assessments, Classification and Analysis
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The way forward

• Develop a Common Humanitarian Classification
  System (CHCS)
• Build on the Integrated Food Security and
  Humanitarian Phase Classification (IPC) approach
• Consult with the wider humanitarian community on
  the desirability and feasibility of a CHCS
• Develop and test a prototype CHCS
• Develop a one-page Field Assessment Summary
  Template (FAST)
• Draft a prototype FAST
• Refine and finalize the FAST
• Develop common assessment tools

Assessments, Classification and Analysis
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Data Gathering / Benchmarks / SOPs / Dissemination

• Within the IM principles
• promote continued development of guidelines and
  policies for IM to create accountability
• establish and/or strengthen systems for
  gathering, analyzing, and disseminating
  information for decision-making, accountability,
  and setting performance benchmarks.

Data Gathering / Benchmarks / SOPs / Dissemination
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The way forward

• Identify Roles and Responsilities for Promoting
• The use of inter-operable data-gathering methods
  and formats
• Access to primary data, methodology, and metadata
• Protection of sensitive information
• Benchmarking and accountablity
• Identify a cluster-based system for collating
  needs assessments and response information

Data Gathering / Benchmarks / SOPs / Dissemination
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The way forward

• The IASC must take lead role in development and
  enforcement of global minimum Information
  Management Standards
• Adjust ToRs for clusters to establish core
  Information Management benchmarks
• IASC to develop Common Training Guidelines for
  Information Management Professionals

Data Gathering / Benchmarks / SOPs / Dissemination
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Training, Contingency Planning and Preparedness

• Information management must be integrated into
  the entire emergency cycle including
  preparedness, response, and recovery.
• Includes staff training, institutional
  structures, and baseline data preparation, and
  others.

Training, Contingency Planning and Preparedness
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The way forward

• Research, document, and assimilate best practices
  from other disciplines
• Integrate IM preparedness into IASC contingency
  planning guidelines
• Define minimal emergency IM system and data needs
• Prioritize and collect baseline data in high risk
  areas
• Formalize relationships with national
  institutions for collaborative emergency response
• Develop a standard training and certification
  program for humanitarian IM specialists as short
  course modules for continuing professionals and
  degree programs

Training, Contingency Planning and Preparedness
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The way forward

• Conduct simulation exercises for relevant staff
  prior to emergencies
• Ensure that IM staff are part of UNDAC trainings
  and that IM is a core module in the UNDAC
  training and deployment
• Ensure trainings and systems are provided in
  relevant local languages
• Develop checklists for emergency information
  management needs
• At the onset of an emergency, ensure existing
  data-sets are easily available, accessible, and
  widely disseminated.

Training, Contingency Planning and Preparedness
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• Overall Recommendations
• Form an IASC Sub-Working Group on Information
  Management
• Professionalize the Humanitarian IM field
• Ensure funding for Humanitarian IM
• Set concrete benchmarks from key conclusions of
  Global consultations