Updated data in GHA’s 43 country profiles

The GHA team has published updated data in 43 humanitarian country profiles. These updates came at the end of 2011, a year which saw the unfolding of large-scale humanitarian crises: the food security crisis in the Horn of Africa following extended drought, the results of political turmoil in the shape of the Arab Spring across North Africa and the Middle East, a second year of severe flooding in Pakistan, more devastating floods in Thailand in recent months, to name just a few examples. Alongside this, the continuing financial crisis has brought added pressure to donor budgets.

In this context, clarity around humanitarian financing is crucial. If we are to have a chance of ensuring the most effective response possible to such crises, and if humanitarian financing is to be appropriately allocated to bring about the best possible results for crisis-affected people, not to mention an improved financial focus in the area of preparedness, we need comprehensive and accessible information.

The GHA country profiles provide such information, showing us how much humanitarian donors and recipients are giving and receiving, where the money is going, which financing mechanisms and channels of delivery are employed, while situated in the context of other resources, as well as examining how much countries contribute to disaster risk reduction (an area which receives greater attention this time than it did in the last iteration). A country profile for France has also been added.

In addition to the newer data, content has been streamlined, changes have been made to graph presentation and improvements made to functionality and design. The profiles remain accessible and interactive, easily navigable and include downloadable data and graphs. These updates come ten months after the profiles were initially launched, and will be updated again in the spring.

We invite you to share these will colleagues and contacts and would welcome any feedback you may have. You can contact the GHA team at gha@devinit.org