SAHIMS.NET is the website portal of The Southern Africa Human-development Information Management Network initiative, an integral part of the UN regional disaster response capacity and a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which aims at improving and widening the knowledge base of the humanitarian operations in the region.

SAHIMS Secretariat is located in Johannesburg, South Africa. It promotes quality information products and services that improve access to humanitarian information resources in the region. SAHIMS supports data and knowledge sharing amongst humanitarian actors and promotes best practices. The helpdesk facility provides technical assistance in the various areas of information management for humanitarian programming, but also responds to information support requests from national disaster management agencies, UN agencies and implementing partners.

SAHIMS.NET was designed as a comprehensive information tool: available, database driven, dynamic, user friendly and interactive. From any location humanitarian users with access to Internet are able to update, search and download information that meets their needs. In poor areas they are served through traditional dissemination means like CD ROM and printed material. A significant amount of data exists in southern Africa and it is commonly agreed that there is a need to access a wider information base in support of disaster response in the region.

The website is a platform for country humanitarian teams to highlight their work and to develop and maintain critical partnerships. SAHIMS.NET regularly publishes well- documented and focused humanitarian information briefcases, organisational meetings and other events of impact. SAHIMS.NET also provides an online library which provides access to key institutional and research reference material as well as GIS datasets to assist with programming.

SAHIMS.NET website continues to yield recognition as a regional repository of relevant information and data, combining availability, affordability and data support services not often available at country level. This has significantly improved the flow of information related to vulnerability, preparedness and response.

© www.sahims.net, 2003-2007. All external and original contents will open in a new window. SAHIMS.net does not endorse external contents, nor is responsible for their availability.

- Close Window -