Sphere Project

http://www.sphereproject.org/

The aim of the Project is to improve the quality of assistance provided to people affected by disasters, and to enhance the accountability of the humanitarian system in disaster response.This project has developed a Humanitarian Charter and a set of universal minimum standards in core areas of humanitarian assistance: water supply & sanitation, nutrition, food aid, shelter & site planning and health services.

Website includes information about the project, and its activities, the Humanitarian Charter (available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese) and standards, information on trainings, and downloadable training materials.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

www.undp.org

UNDP is the United Nations' principal provider of development advice, advocacy and grant support. In addition to coordinating international humanitarian assistance in crisis situations, UNDP provides a bridge between emergency relief and long-term economic development. In societies wracked by conflict, UNDP supports national and regional reconciliation; greater participation by women in peace-building and democratization; reintegration of refugees and displaced persons; reconstruction of war-torn communities; and demobilization and reintegration of former soldiers into civil society.

Searchable Website offers information about organization, mission, programs, and activities. Access to country office websites. Publications are available either online or can be ordered. Press releases and annual reports are available online. Human Development reports, which assess people’s well being by country, are also available as are occasional papers.

http://www.undp.org/erd/ Emergency Response Division highlights UNDP reports and press releases on crisis situations. Scroll to the far right to access Side bar. Service areas and Thematic Areas provides access to information specific to UNDP emergency policy and activities. Reference allows access to a list of papers and articles.

http://www2.wide.org.br/htmlEstaticoEn/Welcome.html Web of Information for Development (WIDE) is a comprehensive system on the institutional capacities, expertise, knowledge and innovative experiences, aimed at facilitating technical cooperation among developing countries. Searchable database of documents, products, supplies, experts, and institutions on development technologies and information.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

http://www.reliefweb.int/ocha_ol/index.html

OCHA has the mandate to coordinate UN assistance in humanitarian crises that go beyond the capacity and mandate of any single humanitarian agency.

Website contains information on agency and its activities. Links to News includes Latest Reports and Publications, which lists manuals, directories, handbooks, and other OCHA publications on disaster management, protection, coordination, complex emergencies, and internal displacement. Trainings offer access to a large database of UN and NGO training information and materials, and it also offers links to other training databases. Link to ReliefWeb is also available (see description under News).

http://www.reliefweb.int/ocha_ol/pub/idp_gp/idp.html Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

www.unhcr.ch

UNHCR is mandated by the United Nations to lead and coordinate international action for the world-wide protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee problems.

Web site provides information about UNHCR, programs, and activities; as well as general refugee information and news. The website is worth browsing on one’s own and the home page is pretty descriptive for its categories.

The world offers map and text-based access to country-specific information about refugees. Issues offers a topic-specific route to articles about refugee children, the environment, women's issues. Evaluation and Policy Analysis offers access to UNHCR reports that can be searched by country, theme, or date. Statistics related to crisis situations and UNHCR and partner efforts are also available.

http://www.unhcr.ch/news/news.htm News includes press releases, news archives, new publications, briefing news, and country updates. UNHCR in the News contains the 100 latest news stories on UNHCR and refugees from around the world.

http://www.unhcr.ch/pubs/pubs.htm Publications offers online access to Refugees magazine and other UNHCR publications. Also click on to reference which is an addition to the UN publications page which provides links to working papers and other documents.

http://www.unhcr.ch/refworld/welcome.htm REFWORLD – a collection of full-text databases representing the most comprehensive and reliable refugee information resource available. UNCHR and UN documents as well as an impressive refugee literature search.

• http://www.unhcr.ch/refworld/pubs/rsq.htm Refugee Survey Quarterly serves as an authoritative source for current refugee and country information. Each issue is a combination of country reports, documents, reviews and abstracts of refugee-related literature.

http://www.unhcr.ch/refworld/refworld/unhcr/hcspeech/menu.htm Speeches of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees includes a speech by former High Commissioner Sadako Ogata on “Telecommunications in the Service of Humanitarian Assistance”.

http://ww.the-ecentre.net Regional Centre for Emergency Training in International Humanitarian Response in Tokyo, Japan.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Disaster Management Center

http://epdwww.engr.wisc.edu/dmc/

The center's goal is to help improve the emergency management performance of non-governmental organizations, local and national governments, and international organizations, through a comprehensive professional development program in disaster management. Distance learning is the principal approach for this international program.

Website includes information about the Center, courses, projects, and various external resources that can be accessed through links pages. Lists of publications (in French, English, and Spanish): manuals (course materials) and case histories that can be ordered are also available. Publications and courses include topics like emergency management, contingency planning, logistics, coordination, emergency health management, and media relations.

http://www.medicine.wisc.edu/sections/em/pdm/home.html Journal of Prehospital and Disaster Medicine (English, French, Spanish) PDM provides an international forum for the reporting and discussion of scientific studies, both quantitative and qualitative, that have relevance to the practice of out-of-hospital and in-hospital emergency medical care, disaster medicine, and public health and safety. Abstracts of articles,

World Food Programme

www.wfp.org

WFP is the frontline United Nations organization fighting to eradicate world hunger, and works in both emergency and development situations.

Field Operations on left-hand side of home page includes links to guidelines and policies regarding food aid programs and country specific projects. News Room includes news on WFP activities and food security world-wide, including weekly emergency reports. About WFP contains links to food aid policies for development, gender targeting, and crisis recovery. Links page is also available. Transport provides information on various WFP transport and logistics documentation.

World Health Organization

http://www.who.int (English, French, Spanish)

The objective of WHO is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Functions include: acting as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work; promoting technical cooperation; assisting governments in strengthening health services; furnishing appropriate technical assistance and, in emergencies, necessary aid; to stimulate and advance work on the prevention and control of epidemic, endemic and other diseases; promoting the improvement of nutrition, housing, sanitation, recreation, economic or working conditions and other aspects of environmental hygiene; and promoting improved standards of teaching and training in the health, medical and related profession.

Searchable website includes information about WHO, programs, and activities. Health topics offers links to information about diseases (surveillance and response, research, prevention, related WHO publications), and subjects such as Family and Reproductive health, Health technology, and Lifestyle. Information Sources gives access to WHO library where you can search for WHO documents by subject (including emergencies / disasters) many of which are accessible online. Others can be ordered from WHO. Reports and Information Services give access to various WHO publications and newsletters which are either online or orderable.

http://www.who.int/eha/disasters/ Department of Emergency and Humanitarian Action. On the left side of this page find a list under Specific Emergency Situations. For each link, find background information, reports, epidemiological surveillance reports, needs assessments, and related links. On the right hand side of the main page are Specific Topics that provide links to documents relating to emergency situations and various health topics, food and nutrition, diseases, and drugs. Other Related Links give access to training and research, standard health kits, evaluations, manuals, a bibliography, and links to the Humanitarian Supply Management System (SUMA) and HINAP.

• http://www.hinap.org/HinapWeb/HinapSite.nsf/Main?OpenFrameSet Health Information Network for Advanced Planning (HINAP). HINAP is an information system designed to optimize effective contingency planning for health relief in complex humanitarian emergencies involving sudden population displacements. HINAP consolidates, analyzes and deploys information on topics such as nutrition, epidemiology, logistics, country health profiles, status of local health facilities and the availability of resources for emergency contingency planning. On the left click on area of interest (Asia for example), which brings up countries. Click on a country for a list of health issues, key health indicators, and health profile. Use the interactive menu on the left to check out options including: communicable diseases, mortality rates, nutritional status, and immunization coverage. Also click on Related Sites at the top for a long list of health and emergency links.

http://w3.whosea.org/index.htm –Who Southeast Asia Regional Office. Searchable website that provides information about activities, countries of work, and access to articles, reports, publications, and policies. Malaria, Tobacco, AIDS & TB programs highlighted.

http://www.who.int/dsa/cat98/emerg8.htm - WHO library catalogue, subject emergencies / disasters.

http://www.who.int/emc-documents/ Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response Document Center

http://www.paho.org/ Pan American Health Office, WHO Regional Office for the Americas. Search website contents by Topic or Resource type. Information includes emergency management, nutrition, diseases, water supply, and sanitation.

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