INTEGRATED ODM AT FICSS
CONSOLIDATING OUR MULTIDISCIPLINARY INTERVENTION
Concept note
CAIRO WORKSHOP
13-14 December 2010
INTRODUCTION
The Field Information and Coordination Support Section within the Division of
Programme Support and Management planning for a series of training workshops on
“INTEGRATED ODM1 : CONSOLIDATING OUR MULTIDISCIPLINARY INTERVENTION”.
JUSTIFICATION
The effective use of data for informed decision-making and for an objective
monitoring of UNHCR and countries’ respective accountabilities towards protection
and assistance of persons of concern is hampered by many constraints. These
include the limited number of UNHCR staff with the appropriate operational data
management (ODM) related skills in the field, the absence of linkages between the
various data systems, lack of consistency in reporting processes over time and
multiplicity of indicators. Indeed, one of the major challenges faced by UNHCR is
related to the availability of quality data to inform programme planning and
management. With the increasing need for quantitative information on indicators,
targets and baselines especially for informing FOCUS and the Global Strategic
Priorities, it is important that UNHCR offices are capacitated to make them able not
only to collect proper data, but also to assess the quality of data provided by
partners.
As a service provider, with FOCUS being our major client, FICSS is committed to
improving and rationalizing its assessment mechanisms and tools in order to better
serve UNHCR’s needs for reliable information, those of donors and the international
community at large. FICSS being at the crossroads of UNHCR’s core data related
methodologies and tools felt that it was necessary to provide UNHCR and partners’
staff with solid skills to allow them to fully play their role of data providers and users.
At the same time, because FICSS is comprised of staff with different expertise (GIS,
registration, statistics, information management, IDP profiling etc.) it was felt that
using the multidisciplinary approach to its support to the field, including capacity
building, was more cost-effective and efficient than the provision of ad hoc vertical
support and training
1
Operational Data Management
CAIRO MEETING
In order to share experiences in this area and to assess training needs, FICSS is
bringing to together a small group of experienced data collectors, analysts and users
in December 2010 in collaboration with the Regional Support Hub in Nairobi, the
UNHCR’s office in Cairo, and selected UNHCR operations and partners. The objective
will be to capitalize and share experiences and good practice with the goal to identify
training needs and gaps as well as identify core training topics that would help to
quickly improve skills and data quality. This meeting will contribute to the design of a
training programme and package by bringing together currently available expertise.
It will also provide an opportunity for cross-fertilization and deepening knowledge on
various aspects of ODM.
Although it will cover similar topics, this workshop is different in scope compared to
the ODMLP. At the difference of the latter, this workshop will build more on the
possible synergies and focus on development of joint Statistics-Registration-GISInformation Management tools and presentations. It will come up with a package for
a very short training (2-3 days) in contrast with the ODMLP which requires 6 to 8
months.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of the meeting to identify ODM-related training gaps and needs
and ways to cross-fertilize existing profiles in FICSS in order to provide a
comprehensive ODM training package to support UNHCR’s efforts in collecting and
reporting quality data, especially in the context of the result framework, FOCUS and
the Global Strategic Priorities.
More specifically the workshop will aim at:
o Clarifying FICSS’ objectives in relation to capacity building on all aspects of
the data chain;
o Identifying ODM-related training needs and gaps with a focus on core
issues/topics that can make a significant difference for quickly improving data
availability and quality;
o Establishing ways and means for closing the identified gaps;
o Developing recommendations for a FICSS training package that builds on
existing profiles within FICSS as well as taking into account existing
frameworks and;
o Mapping existing ODM-related training (human) resources both at HQ and
the field
OUTCOMES
The workshop is expected to obtain the following practical outcomes:
- List of issues, including methodologies, skills, tools and processes, on which
training is needed by field staff;
-
List of areas of synergies and collaboration between different ODM-related
units (Statistics, GIS, Registration, IM) and FOCUS on capacity building;
Elements of a training package that will allow participants to be better
understand and apply practices and methods to produce and disseminate
quality data in accordance with international and UNHCR standards.
PARTICIPANTS
The workshop will gather FICSS staff from the different units, other field based ODM
practitioners, staff from the FOCUS team as well as data users.
FIELD Staff
Suzanne Butscher, Snr. Regional Registration Officer, Regional Hub Nairobi
Matthew Smawfield, Operational Data Manager, Somalia Operation
Toshi Naito, Snr. Regional Registration Officer, MENA
Frederic Cussigh, IM Officer, Pakistan (Snr. Reg Officer, Sudan)
Nihad Hota, Operational Data Manager, Regional Hub Nairobi
Toure Mahamadou Taher, Senior Programme Officer, Chad
Peter Kintu, Regional Data Analyst, Regional Hub Nairobi
Jean Lauren Martin, Operational Data Officer, UNOPS, DRC
Edourad Legoupil, Data Management Officer, Budapest
HQ Staff
Kim Roberson, FICSS
Khassoum Diallo, FICSS
Luc St Pierre, FICSS
Sarah Elliot, JIPS
Shelley Gornall, FICSS
Andrew Harper, MENA
Vladimir Smoljan, FICSS