The Centre for Humanitarian Data is focused on increasing the use and impact of ...
The Centre for Humanitarian Data is focused on increasing the use and impact of data in humanitarian response. It is managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and is based in The Hague, the Netherlands. The Centre’s vision is to create a future where everyone involved in a humanitarian emergency has access to the data they need, when and how they need it, to make responsible and informed decisions. Our support is provided to OCHA staff and partners, with a priority focus on locations with humanitarian operations.
The Centre has four workstreams: data services, data science, data responsibility, and learning and practice. Data responsibility in humanitarian action is the safe, ethical and effective management of personal and non-personal data for operational response. The Centre’s data responsibility work focuses on supporting the adoption of responsible practices in OCHA and the wider humanitarian sector. It also aims to help humanitarians navigate the technical and ethical issues involved when working with data in complex environments.
Over the past several years, the Centre has led the development of a number of guidance documents, most notably the OCHA Data Responsibility Guidelines (agreed in October 2021 and currently being revised) and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Operational Guidance on Data Responsibility in Humanitarian Action (first endorsed in February 2021 and revised in April 2023). We have also worked with partners to publish a series of guidance notes and tip sheets on topics related to data responsibility such as statistical disclosure control and data ethics.
The Centre offers a range of support services to increase the adoption of data responsibility including training, missions and adaptation of tools and templates to different settings and languages. We also work closely with teams across OCHA to integrate data responsibility approaches into cross-cutting issues such as access, accountability to affected people and cash assistance.
Purpose and Scope of Assignment
The Centre requires a Data Responsibility Advisor to support OCHA staff and partners with their understanding and adoption of guidance, templates and tools that ensure the safe, ethical and effective management of data in humanitarian operations. The consultant will need to assess data risks and suggest potential remedies and technical options to share and protect data securely. It is expected that the Advisor will support the design and implementation of activities including advisory support, training programmes, workshops, and development of guidance, as well as represent the Centre in relevant engagements with stakeholders.
The Data Responsibility Advisor will report to the Data Responsibility Team Lead under the overall direction of the Lead for the Centre for Humanitarian Data. S/he will be expected to work closely with the rest of the Centre´s team and OCHA staff in field locations.