4 Information Sharing and Multi-Level Governance in Refugee Services

Displacement generates a wide range of acute needs—shelter, food, clothing, health care—just to name a few. Fulfilling these needs requires complex processes, carried out by networks of humanitarian organizations, often times in challenging circumstances. As service providers, these organizations work to coordinate efforts, leveraging areas of unique expertise, with information sharing playing a crucial role. Information sharing may be required for coordinating case management, similar to any healthcare network. It may also be necessary for managing shared responsibilities in the stewarding of aid dollars, sometimes specified through subcontracts. In these networks, successful information sharing often depends on organizational processes and policies, as well as the trust and mutual adjustment gained through working closely together in the field.