Jakarta, 27 November 2014 - UNFPA Indonesia launched two new publications on data for disaster management at a national seminar in Jakarta on 27 November 2014, in collaboration with partners from the United Nations and the Government of Indonesia. The launch of the “Provincial Infographics” and the “National Guidelines on the Use of Population Data in Disaster Management” was hosted by UNFPA together with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), BPS-Statistics Indonesia and UN-OCHA, and was attended by more than 100 participants from other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and humanitarian partners.

Left to right in front row: Mr. Razali Ritonga, Director of Population Statistics and Employment, Statistics Indonesia; Mr. Rajan Gengaje, Chief of UN-OCHA; Mr. Dedi Walujadi, Director of Census and Survey Methodology Development, Statistics Indonesia; Mr. Bernardus Wisnu Widjaja, Deputy of Disaster Prevention and Preparedness, BNPB; and Mr. Jose Ferraris, Representative of UNFPA Indonesia.

Baseline data is crucial in all stages of disaster management. This type of data can be derived from population censuses and large scale surveys, such as the 2010 Population Census and the 2011 Village Potential Survey. The collected data can then be processed with the aim of assisting in planning by providing more accurate analysis of risks to public infrastructure and populations, including specific risks to vulnerable groups. For this purpose, UNFPA Indonesia and its partners produced the “Provincial Infographics” and “National Guidelines”, to provide a quick and accurate reference for use in all stages of managing a disaster.

Mr. Bernardus Wisnu Widjaja, Deputy of Disaster Prevention and Preparedness at BNPB, officially launched the “Provincial Infographics” and the “National Guidelines on the Use of Population Data in Disaster Management”, witnessed by Statistics Indonesia, UNFPA and UN-OCHA.

The “Provincial Infographics” book was developed in cooperation with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), BPS-Statistics Indonesia, and with technical support from several United Nations agencies, including UNFPA, OCHA, WFP and UNDP. This multi-stakeholder cooperation can be seen as an innovative way of using integrated data, collected from various parties for humanitarian purposes.

“[This] book will provide fast and reliable data for BNPB and other humanitarian actors working on policy planning and analysis,” said Mr. Jose Ferraris, UNFPA Representative, at the publication launch.

Mr. Rajan Gengaje, Chief of OCHA Indonesia, added that the publication was expected to contribute to the work of national and international stakeholders in the areas of disaster preparedness and humanitarian response.

The book contains maps and graphics related to Indonesia’s provinces and their populations, with a focus on the seven main sectors of population, food security, livelihoods, education, health, water and sanitation and disasters.

Also launched at the seminar was a publication produced in tripartite cooperation between UNFPA, BNPB and BPS-Statistics Indonesia, titled “National Guidelines on the Use of Population Data in Disaster Management”. The up-to-date handbook provides detailed guidance on the use of population data in all phases of disaster management, including the pre-disaster, acute and post-disaster phases.

Mr. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, Head of Data, Information and Public Relations at BNPB, commented that data presented in the form of infographics can be highly useful in the stages of preparing for a disaster or duing an emergancy response.

“There is no disaster plan that can succeed without the use of existing data, such as demographic data or disaster data,” he said.

Over the coming year, UNFPA Indonesia aims to continue its commitment to providing technical support for the use of population data in disaster management. Emerging initiatives include acting as a facilitating partner for collaboration between BNPB, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs to promote the inclusion of data from the health sector and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) in the existing baseline population data used in disaster management.