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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

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Results for topics

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Criteria

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Spatial vs Non spatial Criteria

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Over 47:

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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