Join the Humanitarian Studies Centre team and renowned invited speakers for a webinar on the use of data in its many forms in humanitarian and disaster studies
- Date
- Thursday 21 May 2026, 11:00 - 12:30
- Type
- Webinar
- Spoken Language
- English
- Room
- Teams
- Location
- International Institute of Social Studies
- Ticket information
You will receive the Teams link in the registration confirmation email.
Accurate data is of paramount importance to disaster studies, humanitarian studies and humanitarian interventions that aim to reduce disaster risk and vulnerability across the world.
A key part of this data ecosystem is the EM-DAT database, which has provided timely information for over 30 years, and now faces a critical shortfall in funding following the collapse of USAID. Aside from an open letter calling for support for the database, a number of humanitarian and disaster scholars and practitioners are coming together to bring attention to the importance of having open-access information sources, including in this webinar.
How do scholars and practitioners use data? And what is the importance of a shared dataset and understanding?
During this webinar, four speakers will discuss their use of data, the importance of data in its various forms and how it is transformed into actionable interventions to support better disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
Speakers
- Shiomi Yumi (Asian Disaster Reduction Centre, Japan) speaking on 'Towards inclusive disaster data: present and future issues'.
- Dewald van Niekerk (North-West University, South Africa): speaking on 'Setting up a Regional EM-DAT for the SADC region: lessons and data gaps'.
- Laura Southgate (Aston University, UK): speaking on 'Leveraging EM-DAT for Disaster Governance: Insights from the DG-Hub Project'.
- Thea Hilhorst (The Hague Humanitarian Studies Centre, Netherlands): speaking on 'Losing disaster data does not stop disasters from happening'.
Following the presentations by the speakers, there will be time for an open discussion and Q&A.