Since 2004, DTM Mobility Tracking has contributes to Inter-Agency analysis in various ways, for example:
- sharing their datasets on population and Sex and Age Disaggregated Data at location level with OCHA, authorities and Partners (For information on how DTM collects SADD, see DTM Guidance on Data collection on Sex and Age Disaggregated Data
- providing multi-sectoral information on needs, resources and infrastructure at location level, that can be help partners on severity analysis
- supplying their network of key informants and enumerators for Inter-Agency Needs Assessments (e.g., OCHA-led MSNA is often implemented by large by DTM enumerators)
- providing population reference frame for extrapolation by MSNA for HNOs and HRPs (to quantify needs and severity by location)
In fact, DTM often heavily contributes to the Common Operational Datasets (CODs), Humanitarian Profile and Humanitarian Needs Overview and the Needs Comparison Tool. If DTM is already implemented pre-crisis, it can greatly contribute to the Situation Analysis and an initial Rapid Inter-Sectoral Assessment.
It is important to remember that:
- DTM can only provide information on monitored populations. These may represent only a part, however large, of the total People in Need.
- DTM is not the only source of data on displacement.
When data from other sources are available, it is best practice that an inter-agency population-data group:
1) compares data at the lowest admin level available,
2) identifies the most convincing figure for each location, even combining data from various sources.
Documenting this decision-making process and sharing it with data and metadata for each location is essential (see: Practical approaches to different Population data)
Available Tools
- DTM Guidance on Data collection on Sex and Age Disaggregated Data: https://dtm.iom.int/dtm-partners-toolkit/population-data
- A detailed guidance is available on the DTM&Partners Toolkit to help identify what datasets can be used for each Inter-Sectoral Analysis product: “Using DTM data to support Joint Needs Analysis in the interagency context - A Guidance for DTM coordinators”, in: https://dtm.iom.int/dtm-partners-toolkit/analysis
- Practical approaches to different Population data, in: https://dtm.iom.int/dtm-partners-toolkit/population-data