Information Management at the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) 71st Working Group meeting (Geneva, 19 June 2008)
Nicole Rencoret
AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT BRANCH, OCHA ***
Dear IA IM WG members
I am pleased to report that participants of the Inter-Agency Standing
Committee (IASC) 71st Working Group meeting on 19 June in principle
supported the creation of an IASC Task Force on IM.
On behalf of OCHA, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for
your support in advocating to your respective IASC Working Group focal
points. I would also like to congratulate you for your achievements and
efforts of the past two years, recognised and applauded by the IASC
Working Group at their meeting on 19 June.
At Session 5.1, entitled Implementation of Inter-Agency Framework for
Information Management in Emergencies, OCHA presented an overview of the
progress the IA IM WG has made with regard to the implementation of the
ten recommendations, including the development and agreement on the
Operational Guidance on Responsibilities of Cluster/Sector Leads and OCHA
in Information Management.
The main points raised during the ensuing discussion are as follows:
* Implementation of guidance: Measures need to be taken to ensure that the
guidance note would also be implemented. (IFRC)
* Sustainability: Need to ensure that humanitarian IM builds on existing
systems and transitions in a sustainable manner. (IFRC)
* Need assessment and IM: Need to establish better clarity on
relationship between the two areas of activity. (WFP, WHO)
* Practical IM tools: Need to ensure that the TF works on practical IM
tools. (WFP)
* Training and joint missions: Ensure coordination of IM trainings and
continuation of joint IM missions as possible activities of the task
force. (IOM, UNHCR)
* Country level IAIMWG: Whether the country level IAIMWG described in the
Operational Guidance on the Responsibilities of Sector/Cluster Leads and
OCHA in Information Management' should be changed from a working group to
a network. (WFP)
* Clusters: The importance of ensuring that this initiative directly
supports clusters (ICVA), build linkages to and complement other processes
and ensure that the process is entirely inclusive. (UNFPA)
* Time bound: Ensuring that this initiative remains time bound. (IOM,
OCHA, WHO)
* The IASC-WG also agreed that the Operational Guidance on
Responsibilities of Cluster/Sector Leads and OCHA in Information
Management "be adjusted to take into account the need for an interagency
network on Information Management at country level rather than a formal
Information Management Working Group".
The action point on IM requested that OCHA, in consultation with other
relevant organizations (including the IA IM WG), revise the Concept Note
to clarify the deliverables of the Task Force to be achieved on the basis
of the Operational Guidance on Information Management. These will heavily
draw on previous work of the IA IM WG in addition to the results of the
survey on the way forward conducted earlier this year. The revised Concept
Note will also outline the role of a formal Task Force on Information
Management in achieving those deliverables within a specific timeframe.
The next steps are as follows:
1. We are currently preparing the first draft of the revised Concept Note
which will be circulated and presented at the next IA IM WG meeting for
your inputs (tentatively scheduled for Monday 28 July).
2. The draft will then be submitted to the IASC secretariat for electronic
circulation and endorsement by the IASC Working Group.
Best regards
Alta Haggarty
Deputy Chief
Advocacy and Information Management Branch
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Nicole Rencoret
Information Management Officer
Field Information Services (FIS) Unit
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)