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Senegalese children run as locusts spread in the capital Dakar August 2004. © IRIN
have a strong understanding will not publish it. and maps are posted daily,
of research methodologies received from 2,500 informa-
and how these apply to asses- Years ago, when we started tion providers. ReliefWeb has
sing different sources. Our ReliefWeb, there was a its own map centre with its own
editors do not simply say: "I funny cartoon that used to cartographers. They produce
find that interesting. Let's be found on the web. There maps and information gra-
post it". The infoiiiiation were two little dogs, one phics. These are done locally in
they acquire has to be part of was sitting at the keyboard, both Geneva and New York.
an entire response plan for the other one on the floor. Our cartographers work closely
International
the
the particular country or The one at the keyboard with
area. If it is for a disaster, we looks towards the one on the Federation of the Red Cross
have criteria to measure its floor and says: 'On the (IFRC). In fact, an IFRC situa-
humanitarian impact. If it is a Internet nobody knows you'- tion report is often our "trigger"
conflict, different criteria re a dog.' This is a lesson. to create a map. We make maps
T apply. The standards we On the internet, in the end, for OCHA and for the humani-
kri l i F reliability, timeliness, trust- For ReliefWeb, our authori- our scope as we move into a
tarian relief community as a
apply to source acquisition the user has to ensure that
whole. We are now enlarging
derive from our principles: the information is credible.
'new' mapping response that
worthiness, integrity, and ty as a publisher rests on our
ensures updates of all relevant
independence. How do you ensuring our information is
situation reports and info-
measure independence? One trustworthy and therefore
graphics that frame key issues.
way is to provide total defensible.
RI M" F1I1 methods and criteria you use Q: Do you know how with the information they
The whole point of our service
transparency about the
is to provide decisions-makers
to acquire and assess infor-
many people are regularly
require to take informed
mation before you publish it. consulting Relief-web?
decisions.
These are the criteria we
apply to assess our sources. The ReliefWeb site received
Q: You told me that you have
an average of 7 million page
If we cannot defend the ori-
,
gin and nature of the source, views a quarter during 2006
Does this imply that you
we do not use it. If it is clear and is viewed by up to
work non-stop here in
that the reporting is biased or 400,000 individual users a twenty-four hour coverage.
otherwise unreliable-- we month. Over 160 documents Geneva?
12 12007 Diva
wwwdivainternationaI.