Giving People In Disasters Their Say

When crisis or disaster strikes, people need information almost as much as they need shelter food, water and safety. Humanitarian efforts can be undermined and often rendered ineffective if people's information needs are not given adequate priority. A recent report by infosaid investigated the role of communication in emergencies and their aftermath by looking in detail at what happened in Haiti following the earthquake in January 2010 and the subsequent cholera outbreaks.

The report, "Ann Kite Yo Pale or Let Them Speak", includes practical case studies and puts forward best practice solutions for communicating with affected communities. "Few current initiatives are more important than those, like infoasaid that strive to give disaster- prone people and disaster survivors, a greater say in decisions which could save their lives," says Marie Staunton, the CEO of Plan UK, the charity focussed on vulnerable and disadvantaged children. "The report challenges us in aid agencies to think about the extent to which we really listen to and learn from those we seek to serve and tests our responsiveness to new ways of working" Marie continues.

The report explains that when the devastating earthquake hit Haiti, a number of organisations tried to establish systems for the way in which aid agencies share information with and listen to those affected. At the same time, a whole range of others - Haitian media, local private sector organisations including technology companies, telecoms companies and Haitians overseas also started working to share information and to improve communication. In particular, the report looks at the use of mobile phone and web-based technology (more Haitians own mobile phones than own radios), and the experimental efforts by aid agencies to understand and engage with this element.

Aid agencies also found themselves grappling with many practical challenges in delivering better communication including the need for in-house skills and the cost implications. In February 2011 an infosaid team began two months of detailed field research in Haiti to look at the impact of various strategies, projects and activities" successful or not - to inform recommendations for future emergency response.

Marie Staunton concludes "This timely report reminds us that in the field of communicating with disaster-affected communities there is much to be done, not least in mainstreaming, monitoring and evaluation, and in better co-ordinating our efforts".