OCHA Field Information Management: Structures and Strategy

1
OCHA Field Information Management Structures and
Strategy
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Session Objectives

• To discuss OCHAs Field Information Management
  Strategy and its implementation to date
• To review the Terms of Reference for an OCHA
  Field Office
• To examine the role of the Information Management
  Unit (IMU)
• To review the role of the Information Management
  Officer in supporting IM in the Field
• To discuss current IM activities in the Field and
  identify potential opportunities for expansion
  and improvement.

3
Before FIM

• Ad Hoc
• Not Standardized
• Differing levels of performance
• No user consistency
• Reinventing the wheel

4
Aim of FIM Project Strategy

• increase support to humanitarian actors by
  improving the capacity for decision making and
  analysis through strengthened collection,
  processing, and dissemination of information

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How to Implement FIM Strategy

• .increasing OCHAs IM capacity in field offices
  to strengthen the internal flow and management of
  information and to provide improved external IM
  services to its many humanitarian partners..

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FIM Components

• Assessments, Studies and Policies
• Provide ICT Infrastructure
• Build information management capacity in the
  field
• Mainstream standardized information management
  tools

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Field Information Management Capacity

• 2004 Burundi, DRC, RSO-WA (Dakar), and Uganda
• 2005 Cote dIvoire, Guinea, Nepal, Ethiopia,
  Somalia, RSO-CEA (Nairobi), Nepal, Russian
  Federation and Zimbabwe.

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Providing ICT Infrastructure Field Connectivity
Strategy

• OCHA Offices will co-locate with UN Agencies
• Where co-location is not feasible standard
  solutions are defined, based on the size and
  specific requirements of the office
• OCHA Offices must comply with MOSS
• OCHA Offices must have back-up arrangements for
  voice, email and Internet access, which are
  independent of local public infrastructure, in
  emergency situations and when main communications
  facilities become unavailable

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Connectivity Solutions

• Basic Telecommunications Kit
• Co-Location with Other UN Entity
• Fixed VSAT Installation
• Rapid Deploy Fly-Away VSAT Kit
• WIDER (Wireless LAN in Disaster and Emergency
  Response)
• Virtual Private Network (VPN)

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OCHA Global Network Infrastructure (WAN)

• Bujumbura, Burundi
• Co-located and shared communications with ONUB
  (DPKO)
• Dedicated Internet Access 128 Kbps
• Kinshasa, DRC
• Co-located and shared communications with UNDP
• Shared Internet Access 512 Kbps
• Regional Support Office West Africa (Senegal)
• Individual building, but share ICT services and
  support with IRIN
• Internet Access 256 Kbps dedicated lines shared
  with IRIN
• Khartoum, Sudan
• Co-located with UNDP
• Shared Internet Access 512 Kbps- 1024 Kbps
• Moving November to share UNMIS Premises
• Installing VSAT with dedicated 256 Kbps 1024
  Kbps
• Kampala, Uganda
• Internet Access 128 Kbps

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OCHA Global Network Infrastructure (WAN)

• Moscow, Russian Federation
• Co-located with WFP and UNHCR
• Internet Access 256 Kbps dedicated line
• Conakry, Guinea
• Co-located with UNDP
• Shared VSAT services with UNDP with 512 Kbps
• Abidjan, Cote dIvoire
• Internet Access 128 Kbps ADSL link to local ISP
• Somalia
• Office currently in Nairobi
• Internet Access provided by UNDP UNOPS
• Services adequate
• Requirement is to provide connectivity to
  sub-offices in Somalia
• R-BGAN, BGAN solution currently under review

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OCHA Global Network Infrastructure (WAN)

• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Co-located ECA
• Internet Access dedicated 64 Kbps/128 Kbps
• Regional Support Office Central and East Africa,
  Nairobi
• Internet Access shared with UNON
• Dedicated 512 ADSL link to UNON, but service
  unacceptable
• Upgrade currently under review
• RO-Bangkok
• Internet Access dedicated high speed to local ISP
• Chad
• Co-located on UNDP premises, remote building
• No Internet Access
• Solution under review
• Zimbabwe
• Requirements under review
• Office to be co-located with UNDP
• Internet Access shared with UNDP, appears good
• Nepal
• Requirements currently under review

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Email Solution

• Pre-FIM mix of Yahoo, OCHA, WFP, UNDP etc.
• Poor connectivity often meant people went days
  without having access to email
• Lack of security
• Difficult to maintain organizational contact
  management system

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Email Solution
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Email Solution
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Main FIM Applications

• FiDMS (Field Document Management System)
• Field Web Template
• Maps-on-Demand
• Who What Where

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FiDMS

• Institutional memory
• Exchange of key documents with field office,
  Headquarters, and regional offices
• Compliance to OCHA Metadata standards
• Automatic backup of files (as it is replicated to
  multiple locations
• Standardization of filing amongst field offices

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Web Template
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Maps on Demand

• The systems
• 1. OCHA's GIS professionals at HQ (FIS and
  ReliefWeb) to consolidate geospatial data assets
  and formalize common data maintenance procedures
  using an ArcSDE geodatabase housed at OCHA/ITS'
  data center in New York.
• 2. OCHA Field Offices and HICs, Regional Offices
  and HQ to "describe" their geospatial data
  holdings to the GeoNetwork node hosted in Geneva.
  (GeoNetwork is a UN-wide metadata catalog used
  by FAO, WFP, UNEP, WHO, CGIAR and OCHA)
• 3. OCHA is developing an open source geospatial
  data delivery and online mapping facility to
  service its humanitarian partners.

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Geospatial Database and Data Preparedness

• The data
• 1. Building a global coverage of seamless core
  base map layers (e.g. hydrology, topography,
  transportation, populated places, national and
  administrative boundaries, etc.). (Vmap1, Global
  Discovery are the main sources of information)
• 2. Obtaining sectoral data (e.g. health,
  education, public safety) for countries of
  concern listed on OCHA's and/or IASC's early
  warning matrix to inform early action. (GIST and
  UNGIWG/GeoNetwork participants feeding data)
• 3. Consolidating of operational data from
  humanitarian agencies responding to declared
  disasters for the benefit of all actors in the
  field. (HIC and Field Offices filtering this
  information and posting it to the GeoNetwork)

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3W Who What Where

• Who does What Where information records and
  presents humanitarian response activities as
  follows
• WHO - Identity of organization undertaking the
  activity (includes contact information)
• WHAT - Type of activity (e.g., sector) 
• WHERE - Location where activity is undertaken

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3W Functionality

• New data elements requested by the field.
• Implementation of a powerful but simple canned as
  well as ad-hoc reports generator.
• Import and export tool to support XML.
• Simplified database structure to ease
  maintenance.
• Automated questionnaire generation tool for field
  data collection in compliance with the 3W data
  model and dictionary.
• Improved installation, setup and configuration
  facility
• Context sensitive online help.
• Multilingual support (first release in English
  and French)
• Option to disable the integrated contacts
  directory.
• Fully Web-enabled application.

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Building Information Management Capacity

• Mainstreaming IM into OCHAhow
• Training formal and informal
• IM Missions
• Incorporating IM into other OCHA training
• HQ support
• Field commitment to standardized systems
• Culture of continuous improvement

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Building Information Management Capacity Next
Steps

• .Leveraging ICT infrastructure and standardised
  tools to improve the capacity for decision making
  and analysis in OCHA through strengthened
  collection, processing, and dissemination of
  information

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Other Components of the Grant

• GDACS - Global Disaster Alert and Coordination
  System
• FTS Financial Tracking Service
• IRIN Integrated Regional Information Network
• ReliefWeb

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How Did We Do?
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IM in the Field The OCHA FO

• Humanitarian Coordination Activities
• Overview of the humanitarian environment
• Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP)
• Resource Mobilization (CAP)
• Contingency planning
• Needs Assessment
• Sectoral and Thematic Coordination

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IM in the Field The OCHA FO

• Products and Services
• Standard information products
• Risk and trend analysis
• Negotiation on access
• Advocacy on humanitarian principles
• Policy development
• Public information/media relations
• IDP policy and protection
• Capacity building for natural disasters
• Relief to development transition

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IM in the Field The IMU

• IM Unit and IM Capacity
• Internal/External
• IM and IT
• Country Office/Regional Office

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IM in the Field The IMO

• Expected to implement OCHAs FIM Strategy
• Contribute to the development and improvement of
  field IM procedures

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IM in the Field The IMO

• Key tasks
• Update and assimilate global IM standards,
  policies and procedures
• Develop and maintain a client-oriented approach
• Support strategic and operational decision-making
• Provide training
• Serve as a focal point for information exchange
  and standards
• Manage the use of standardised systems

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IM in the Field Standard Information Products

• Small group discussion
• Which of these products are currently produced in
  your FO/RO?
• Are there others not listed?
• What is your role in their production?
• How is that similar to/different from the IMU
  TOR?

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IM in the Field Review

• Implementation of the FIM Strategy will enable
  OCHA to provide better IM services and support
  to its partners
• IM underpins all aspects of OCHAs humanitarian
  activities, products and services
• IM staff in Field Offices will play a key role
  in building OCHAs IM capacity and providing
  products and services to the humanitarian
  community

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Session Objectives

• To discuss OCHAs Field Information Management
  Strategy and its implementation to date
• To review the Terms of Reference for an OCHA
  Field Office
• To examine the role of the Information Management
  Unit (IMU)
• To review the role of the Information Management
  Officer in supporting IM in the Field
• To discuss current IM activities in the Field and
  identify potential opportunities for expansion
  and improvement.