Humanitarian Information Network Africa Workshop

keywords:

regional

Event:

Organiser	UN/OCHA
Location	Nairobi
Year	2006

Summary

Third in a series of regional workshops originating from consensus reached at the Symposium on Best Practices in Humanitarian Information Exchange in 2002, the Humanitarian Information Network (HIN) Workshop took place in Nairobi, 29-31 May 2006.

As a first of its kind in Africa, the workshop drew inspiration and purpose from recommendations of former regional workshops in Bangkok and Panama, recent field information management workshops, planning for an inter-agency workshop on information management and, most importantly, interviews with regional and national counterparts from Central, Southern and West Africa. The workshop further provided an opportunity to identify regional and national best practices and preferences in information management and exchange in Africa in relation to strategic goals set for the managing of information to support cluster-specific coordination within an inter-agency framework.

The major outcome of the workshop was the endorsement of a ‘Statement on Best Practices in Information Management and Exchange in Africa,’ whose over-arching recommendation, the establishment of a Pan-Africa Humanitarian Information Network (PAHIN), is of particular importance for two reasons. First, it takes account and draws initiative from already existing mechanisms and systems in Africa and, second, it links to the development of a global network of communities of practice.

Conclusions

the main outcome of this meeting was the Statement on Best Practices in Humanitarian Information Management and Exchange in Africa. (This document in an appendix to the conference report and does not seem to have been republished since) Its key points are summarised here:

User Requirements
Echoing the previous conference, it was stressed that the needs of the users should be considered if an information system is going to be relevant and successful
Harmony of data
The need was stressed to standardise data and procedures. Reference was made to SHARE)
Appropriate technology
This is important especially for the field environment. ' the use of open data formats, inter-operable technologies and off-the-shelf software was underlined by participant'"
Cooperation
More than any other field, the value of Information Management is multiplied when it is shared. The need was stressed to encourage this sharing by the formations of partnerships.
Preparedness
This means 'linkages with national actors, improved multi-sectoral risk mapping analysis, and the need to preserve institutional operational memory and organizational learning. '