UNESCO Uses Souktel Online Messaging System Case Study: Sending SMS Emergency Alerts to Families in Gaza

Publication language
English
Pages
3pp
Date published
01 Mar 2012
Type
Research, reports and studies
Keywords
Children & youth, Comms, media & information, Conflict, violence & peace, Working in conflict setting, Protection, human rights & security
Countries
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Organisations
CDAC Network

In 2011, UNESCO began a series of efforts to improve its Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) program me within the 1.5km ’buffer zone‘ of the Gaza Strip — the area that borders Israeli-controlled territory. These efforts aimed to enhance schools’ abilities to fulfill their roles as safe, protective spaces for children and communities in times of crisis. To support these efforts, Souktel created a large scale, web-based SMS alert and survey system which allows UNESCO to:
- Send SMS alerts from UNESCO staff/school administrators’ phones — or from a secure web interface — to the mobile phones of parents, school staff and other community members (alerts can range from emergency notifications to school announcements).
-  Deliver SMS-based surveys that can be used to collect data related to DRR program activities.

This paper describes the lessons learned and provides recommendation for similar action.