GEOGRAPHIC GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION INFORMATION WITHIN UNHCRWITHIN UNHCR

Meeting on Cartography and Geographic Information Science UN HQ, New York 28-30 Meeting on Cartography and Geographic Information Science UN HQ, New York 28-30 March 2000March 2000

Jean Yves Bouchardy, Head GIS/Mapping Unit UNHCR GenevaJean Yves Bouchardy, Head GIS/Mapping Unit UNHCR Geneva

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

• IT IS A RECENT PROCESS:IT IS A RECENT PROCESS:

– Project initiated in 1994Project initiated in 1994

– Creation of a Geographic/Mapping Creation of a Geographic/Mapping Unit in 1999Unit in 1999

– 2 staffs and one consultant… plus 2 staffs and one consultant… plus consultants in the fieldconsultants in the field

WHY Geographic Information is WHY Geographic Information is essential within refugee operations?essential within refugee operations?

Entry pointsEntry points

Refugees/IDPsRefugees/IDPsPlaces of originPlaces of origin

CampsCamps

HCR presenceHCR presence

• Have obvious geographical dimensionsHave obvious geographical dimensions

• Are core components of UNHCR Are core components of UNHCR operationsoperations

• but are LOST in various reporting but are LOST in various reporting systems systems

OVERALL OBJECTIVES OVERALL OBJECTIVES OF THE UNITOF THE UNIT

• Address and identify the needs regarding Address and identify the needs regarding geographical information within UNHCR geographical information within UNHCR operations, (especially within emergency operations, (especially within emergency situations)situations)

• Provide technical support (Field and HQ)Provide technical support (Field and HQ)

• Improve Inter-Agency cooperationImprove Inter-Agency cooperation

• Increase awareness among UNHCR staffIncrease awareness among UNHCR staff

ACHIEVEMENTSACHIEVEMENTS• UNHCR is the lead agency regarding GIS and RS UNHCR is the lead agency regarding GIS and RS

applied to refugee operations applied to refugee operations

• Fully operational geographical and environmental Fully operational geographical and environmental

database for Field and HQ support (i.e. refugee camps database for Field and HQ support (i.e. refugee camps

database, UNEP, FAO, etc..)database, UNEP, FAO, etc..)

• UNHCR is a core member of the UN GIS working group UNHCR is a core member of the UN GIS working group

(GIST). The aim of the group is to address geographic (GIST). The aim of the group is to address geographic

information needs and coordinate Inter-agency efforts information needs and coordinate Inter-agency efforts

during humanitarian operations (Kosovo/HCIC)during humanitarian operations (Kosovo/HCIC)

CURRENT ACTIVITIESCURRENT ACTIVITIES

• ENVIREF EU (Nansen Center, Norway)ENVIREF EU (Nansen Center, Norway)

• FRAME (FFEM)FRAME (FFEM)

• World Bank (DRC)World Bank (DRC)

• GDIN (US State Dept)GDIN (US State Dept)

• Technical agreement between HCR and WFP Technical agreement between HCR and WFP for GIS activitiesfor GIS activities

SHORT TERM STRATEGYSHORT TERM STRATEGY

• Development of regional GIS “coordinators” Development of regional GIS “coordinators” to address geographic information at field to address geographic information at field levellevel– to collect primary data needed for the operationsto collect primary data needed for the operations– to reinforce geographic component whithin to reinforce geographic component whithin

UNHCR programmesUNHCR programmes– to improve coordination at field levelto improve coordination at field level

APPLICATIONSAPPLICATIONS

EMERGENCIESEMERGENCIES

PCodePCode

LESSONS LEARNED FROM LESSONS LEARNED FROM KOSOVOKOSOVO

• Coordination is an essential key for successCoordination is an essential key for success

• Geographic information’s needs should be addressed at the Geographic information’s needs should be addressed at the earliest stage of an operation, ideally during the contingency earliest stage of an operation, ideally during the contingency phasephase

• Collection of primary data, including precise geographical Collection of primary data, including precise geographical location of the places surveyed is crucial .. but extremely location of the places surveyed is crucial .. but extremely difficult to put in place..difficult to put in place..

• Standardization of geographic information (Pcode) is essential Standardization of geographic information (Pcode) is essential to allow communication between actors (common plateform)to allow communication between actors (common plateform)

• Data Quality/Accuracy should be aimed atData Quality/Accuracy should be aimed at

REPATRIATIONREPATRIATIONPLACES OF ORIGINPLACES OF ORIGIN

COORDINATIONCOORDINATION

IMPLEMENTINGIMPLEMENTINGPARTNERSPARTNERS

Who is Working Who is Working Where in which Where in which

Domain of Activity Domain of Activity

CAMP PLANNINGCAMP PLANNING

DatabaseDatabase

Shelter

Blocks

Offices

Country

MapMap

CAMP CAMP PLANNINGPLANNING

RIVER BANKRIVER BANKEROSIONEROSION

SCHOOLSSCHOOLS

ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

LOCATION OF UNHCR REFUGEE SITES AND POTENTIAL LOCATION OF UNHCR REFUGEE SITES AND POTENTIAL DEGRADED AREAS IN GOMA (ZAIRE)DEGRADED AREAS IN GOMA (ZAIRE)

UNHCR ENVIRONMENTAL DATABASE Image SPOT. 4,3,2date 08 / 07 / 96

EVOLUTION OF DEFORESTATION EVOLUTION OF DEFORESTATION FOR 3 DATES (KIBUMBA CAMP)FOR 3 DATES (KIBUMBA CAMP)1987 1994 1995-961987 1994 1995-96

FORESTFORESTDEGRADEDDEGRADEDFORESTFOREST

REFUGEEREFUGEECAMPCAMP

DEFORESTATIONDEFORESTATIONIN JHAPA AREAIN JHAPA AREA19911991 19971997

INTERNATIONALINTERNATIONALSTANDARDSTANDARD

SECURITY ISSUESECURITY ISSUE

RefugeeRefugeeLocationsLocations

< 50km< 50km

< 10 km< 10 km

< 5 km< 5 km

PI AND DONORSPI AND DONORS

Before...Before...

Now ...Now ...

NEEDSNEEDS

• UPDATED AND DETAILED UPDATED AND DETAILED INFORMATION ONINFORMATION ON– INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIESINTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES– ADMINISTRATIVE UNITADMINISTRATIVE UNIT– VILLAGES/SETTLEMENTS (PCODES)VILLAGES/SETTLEMENTS (PCODES)– PLUS ADDITIONAL THEMATIC DATA...PLUS ADDITIONAL THEMATIC DATA...

CONSTAINTSCONSTAINTS

• TIMELY ACCESS TO DETAILED (25.000) TIMELY ACCESS TO DETAILED (25.000) AND RELIABLE DATAAND RELIABLE DATA

• INTERNAL PROCESS WITHIN UN INTERNAL PROCESS WITHIN UN AGENCIES REGARDING PRIMARY AGENCIES REGARDING PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION, STORAGE AND DATA COLLECTION, STORAGE AND ANALYSES.. We need to deploy ANALYSES.. We need to deploy Information ManagersInformation Managers

• RESOURCESRESOURCES

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS• GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION…GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION…

• CREATES A COMMON LANGUAGE AMONG CREATES A COMMON LANGUAGE AMONG PARTNERS (“one good map is equivalent to 1000 words”)PARTNERS (“one good map is equivalent to 1000 words”)

• ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND IMPROVES DATA ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND IMPROVES DATA COLLECTION PROCESSES COLLECTION PROCESSES

• IMPROVES COORDINATION AMONG THE ACTORSIMPROVES COORDINATION AMONG THE ACTORS

• ALLOWS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ALLOWS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY (keeps track of activities)INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY (keeps track of activities)