Mobile, rapid response and global pulse:
UNICEF, partners and the changing face of
emergency communication

UN-novation (who/at/y)
World Bank
UNIDO
VIA
HTC

“The current crisis in Ethiopia is being lost in a swirling mist of competing figures. ”
-- BBC News, October 12, 2008 (Yesterday)

RapidSMS: governance becomes system

Digital Doorway and Bee: Build Back Better

Young producers of media,
quantitative data, and
community pulse will play a
vital part in emergency
response, and development
work.

Old consumers of media,
quantitative data, and
community pulse will (and
must) depend on the speed
and breadth of collected data
to formulate appropriate
emergency response, and
target development work.

Bulletin Boards, Groups, and…Anarchy!

So…
- sms is a teleporter
- groups allow more to access information
- young people (~50% of pop in Africa) must be the
pulsetakers
- strong partnerships allow local development and
global implementation
- projects must be about people, not technology

Erica Kochi ekochi@unicef.org
Christopher Fabian cfabian@unicef.org
http://www.mepemepe.com
http://www.unisay.com/posts/3
http://www.web4dev.org