The document discusses the use of GIS in selecting sites for refugee camps. While GIS could help with the spatial analysis needs of selecting optimal camp locations, it is currently not widely used for this purpose. The main reasons for non-use include time constraints in emergency situations, a lack of user-friendly GIS tools designed for humanitarian work, and the need for expensive GIS experts rather than tools accessible to decision makers. For GIS to be effectively used, the tools would need to be improved for direct use under time pressures and grant immediate access to relevant spatial data.

1. ASPRS/CaGIS Specialty Conference AutoCarto 2010

2. Humanitarian Geomatics The application of GI Science to complex humanitarian emergencies More 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 workers GIS technology has been advanced as a tool for management of refugee camps it is not widely applied for camp siting.

3. Goals of this research Main Goal Describe the reasons for non-use of GIS in the site selection process. Secondary Goals Evaluate the needs of humanitarian workers in site selection Evaluate the methods used Evaluate the spatial character of the needs of the humanitarian workers and the possibilities offered by GIS.

4. Overview of the refugee situation Number 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) Source: UNHCR Statistics 2006 Categories Number ( in millions) Refugees 16 Internally displaced 26 Total 42

5. Source: UNHCR

6. Temporary housing Spontaneous installations Installations with governmental infrastructure 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 / 1948 2008

7. Source: UNHCR

8. Source: UNRWA

9. Source: UNHCR

10. Source: UNHCR

11. Site selection Important to locate an optimal site Ensure camp’s viability with respect to logistics of aid delivery (food and water) and camp management Ensure camp safety Environmental protection Site selection process: Processing of spatial data Making a choice among alternatives based on defined criteria

12. Geographical Information System 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

13. Current Applications

14. Inventory of criteria suggested Qualitative study Semantic comparaison Ontology Quantitative study Taxonomy Identification of spatial criteria and spatial data needed Inventory of methodologies used Comparative study Research Methodology Kigali – Rwanda (1994)

15. Sources

16. Analysis : General Matrix

17. Total criteria results

18. Results for topics

19. Criteria

20. Spatial vs Non spatial Criteria Over 47: 15 32

21. Cartographic data

22. Methodologies The 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 Corsellis, 2001

23. Resulting conclusion 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. Usefulness of GIS OK Efficiency ? Technical feasibility OK Organizational feasibility ?

24. Reasons for non-use Time constraint: 0 to 72 hours Emergency situation WASTE OF TIME Decision makers Tools are not designed for direct and user-friendly application in the humanitarian aid field Low perceived value of GIS tools Resistance to change Experts Need for an expert, often expensive and unaware of the needs of humanitarian aid workers Lots of work for limited results

25. 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 makers Improve user-friendliness of the tool Grant immediate access to the useful data bases for types of circumstances

26. 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

27. Source: UNHCR

28. THANK YOU Source: UNHCR