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ASPRS/CaGIS Specialty Conference ASPRS/CaGIS Specialty Conference
AutoCarto 2010AutoCarto 2010
Humanitarian GeomaticsThe application of GI Science to complex
humanitarian emergenciesMore specifically: The role of GIS in the site
selection process for the establishment of refugee camps.
Why ? Despite a remarkable expansion an expressed interest by humanitarian workersGIS technology has been advanced as a tool for
management of refugee camps it is not widely applied for camp siting.
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Goals of this research Main Goal
Describe the reasons for non-use of GIS in the site selection process.
Secondary GoalsEvaluate the needs of humanitarian
workers in site selectionEvaluate the methods usedEvaluate the spatial character of the
needs of the humanitarian workers and the possibilities offered by GIS.
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Overview of the refugee situationNumber of displaced people in the world increased
between 1997 and 2006; reaching 42 million in 2008.
25 million have been assisted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 4
Source: UNHCR Statistics 2006
Categories Number ( in millions)
Refugees 16
Internally displaced
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Total 42
Temporary housing1. Spontaneous installations2. Installations with governmental infrastructure3. Humanitarian temporary installations
REFUGEE CAMPS 1947 - 1948: First refugee camps In 2006 : World’s 700 refugee camps
accomodated over 12 million displaced persons. Source: http://millionsoulsaware.org/
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1948 2008
Source: UNHCR7
Source: UNRWA 8
Source: UNHCR
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Source: UNHCR 10
Site selectionImportant to locate an optimal site
Ensure camp’s viability with respect to logistics of aid delivery (food and water) and camp management
Ensure camp safetyEnvironmental protection
Site selection process: Processing of spatial dataMaking a choice among alternatives based on
defined criteria11
Geographical Information System
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As a system allowing spatial analysis and decision-making aid, the GIS can contribute to an effective selection of potentially suitable sites for an optimal hosting of displaced persons.
Source: UNHCR, GeOnG,2008
Current Applications
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Inventory of criteria suggestedQualitative study
Semantic comparaison Ontology
Quantitative study Taxonomy
Identification of spatial criteria and spatial data needed
Inventory of methodologies usedComparative study
Research Methodology
14Kigali – Rwanda (1994)
Total criteria results
17
Results for topics
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Criteria
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Spatial vs Non spatial Criteria
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Over 47:
15
32
Cartographic data
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MethodologiesThe methodology is mainly
organizational: setting up a team, working out a list of criteria, assigning tasks, collecting data (mainly on the field) and comparing the available grounds
For comparison of sites according to criteria, the method is mostly combinative, with addition and exclusion and weighted ranking
GIS are sometimes mentioned, but never clearly used
22Corsellis, 2001
Resulting conclusion
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Usefulness of GIS OK
Efficiency ?
Technical feasibility OK
Organizational feasibility ?
While the criteria are mainly spatial, the methods used by humanitarian aid workers nevertheless remain traditional, based on field work and observation.
Therefore, the reason for non-use does not come from the type of analysis at the technical level, but from the setting in which it occurs.
Reasons for non-use
Decision makersTools are not designed for direct and user-friendly application in the humanitarian aid fieldLow perceived value of GIS toolsResistance to change
ExpertsNeed for an expert, often expensive and unaware of the needs of humanitarian aid workersLots of work for limited results
24Time constraint: Time constraint: 0 to 72 hours
Emergency situation
WASTE OF TIME
Conclusion Although GIS tools are available to the agencies, they
are typically used for tasks which are not subject to time constraints imposed by emergency. (ex: cartography, management of statistical data in camps, etc…)
In order to ensure direct use for site selection, the following changes might be necessary: Spread expert evaluation among the decision
makersImprove user-friendliness of the toolGrant immediate access to the useful data bases
for types of circumstances25
Limits and Perspective Limits of the study: its main focus was on the basic
criteria of adaptation of GIS tools to the basic needs, conducted using only the literature.
A study of work methods used directly on the field by agencies carrying out this type of work would offer a more realistic overview of true operational constraints.
www.intempestive.net/spip.php?aricle44 26
Source: UNHCR
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THANK YOU
Source: UNHCR28
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