Continuing our work on the vital need for information in emergency response, the BBC World Service Trust will co-host a high-level panel discussion at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) later this month.
Moderated by John Holmes, Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, participants will discuss the information needs of affected populations following humanitarian and natural disasters. Panellists including Sir Nicholas Young, Chief executive of the British Red Cross, will share examples of where these needs have been successfully addressed.
Best practices of national government preparedness and response, as well as how broadcast media have been used to provide emergency ‘lifeline’ information will also be presented.
As has previously been reported on this blog by Lisa Robinson, co-author of the BBC World Service Trust report “Left in the dark: the unmet need for information in emergency response” (pdf), humanitarian agencies often fail to address the “information vacuum” of affected populations – to everybody’s cost.
The humanitarian community is now realizing the crucial significance of meeting the information needs of affected populations. The benefits are manifold, including: enhanced security; better targeted assistance more promptly delivered; more accurate information in circulation and the ability to better advocate on behalf of communities at risk. Two-way communication, in particular, can also improve accountability to beneficiaries and can empower those affected to influence the recovery agenda of aid organizations and governments.
This international meeting will look at how such responses can be mainstreamed by member states and humanitarian organisations at the highest level.
For more on this theme see other emergency response posts and download the policy briefing “Left in the dark: the unmet need for information in humanitarian responses” (pdf).
