Media, information systems and communities: lessons from Haiti
Following a disaster, it is not unusual for the international community to step in and provide help to those affected by crisis, but when the earthquake in Haiti occurred in 2010, the humanitarian response was different: new media and communications technologies were used in unprecedented ways to aid the recovery effort. In the weeks after the crisis, Haiti quickly became a real world laboratory for several new applications, such as interactive online mapping and SMS texting platforms.
This report examines the media and communications response to the earthquake, highlights what emerging practices showed promise, and provides a series of lessons learned and recommendations for improving the effective utilisation of media in disaster relief efforts.