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Geo Informatics 1-2008
article refugee camps • lack of human resources: two gis persons at headquarters and six gis technicians (non permanent) in the field, mostly in africa. • the assimilative capability of field staff (non-gis) is stretched to the limit, thus bringing-in new tools and new responsibilities is only marginally feasible. • the existence, availability, adequacy, timeliness and relevancy of the required data is minimal sending a gis specialist for a camp mapping exercise is costly and can not always be a priority for the camp managers. • access to high resolution satellite imagery is costly and availability in arid regions or in tropical forests is low. • gps reception is not guaranteed in those regions and conditions. • funds for updating and supporting the use of information are scarce. • knowledge-based decision making is yet to be streamlined. • an address system might or might not exist or even be part of the population census database at the camp level and not all camps maintain a population registration digital database. unhcr camp in ghana. the solution unhcr selected pitney bowes mapinfo in 1998 as the software and service to support its drive to carry out a comprehensive programme of mapping established camps to create efficient management of populations, resources and facilities. various partnerships with humanitarian agencies have allowed unhcr to establish a small gis team. however, by the very nature of the partner structure, turnover is high. using mapinfo professional, has helped the transition between technicians and continuity in the quality of their output. adaptation to mapinfo is quick and with the use of standard templates, base layers and common procedures, unhcr is able to show a high level of professionalism in its camp mapping output, often unhcr camp in kenya. latest news? visit www.geoinformatics.com 7 january/february 2008
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