Location-based Information to Manage Refugee Camps

Living in camps is often the only solution to displaced persons and UNHCR manages close to 300 camps worldwide for refugees alone. The challenges in managing such populations in very marginal conditions and with limited resources are huge. The UNHCR identified the need for a location-based information solution to develop and apply tools for spatial analysis for the efficient management of the camps. Given the limitations of central and on-site resources and the institutional and environmental diversities, a simple GIS solution based on uniform models could not adequately provide the solution.

The Challenge

Until the late 1990’s geographic planning was carried out by hand, which proved increasingly inadequate as the global refugee problem grew significantly, and effective resources on the ground became untenable. The UNHCR identified the need for a location-based information solution to develop and apply tools for spatial analysis for the efficient management of the camps.  Given the limitations of central and on-site resources and the institutional and environmental diversities, a simple GIS solution based on uniform models could not adequately provide the solution.

The Solution

Ultimately, UNHCR selected Pitney Bowes MapInfo as their location technology partner due to its flexibility and ease of use for continuous operations; ease in the application of customised templates, standards, symbols that are centrally managed at HQ and disseminated to field operators; centrally managed common (global) basic layers; avoidance of users creating their own layers (only local workspaces form same basic layers) and the relatively low cost of licenses.

Resourcing and Decentralising

Leaving aside the technical capabilities and the working constraints associated with camp mapping, the coverage of over 300 camps of refugees (and over 200 of internally displaced persons in Northern Uganda alone!) is a challenge in itself for any organisation or enterprise. UNHCR is now starting to engage partners in applying the mapping guidelines developed around MapInfo to map more camps. It hopes that by showing a simple and relatively cheap mapping tool it can attract more implementing partners and hopefully more interested funding parties.

“MapInfo has equipped us with a highly valuable location-based information capability which is beginning to help us decentralise the mapping of camps out to humanitarian partner agencies in the field,” said Luc St-Pierre, Senior Geographic Information Systems Officer, UNHCR.