Frequently Asked Questions - About MIMU

This page contains answers to frequently asked questions, about MIMU and its products including spatial data and maps, HDP Nexus 5W products, Baseline Data and other resources which support humanitarian, development and peace-focused activities across Myanmar. Feedback and comments are very welcome and can be sent to [email protected]

What is MIMU and who is it for?

The Myanmar Information Management Unit, or MIMU, was established in 2007 to support evidence-based analysis and decision-making by humanitarian and development actors working in Myanmar. It safeguards a common data repository of information on development and humanitarian sectors as well as extensive geospatial data.

MIMU’s reaches its main target audience - the people of Myanmar - through agencies, donors and research entities working in humanitarian, development and peace-focused activities.  MIMU services are provided free of charge when used for non-profit purposes related to humanitarian, development and peace-focused programmes.

What does MIMU do?

MIMU provides information services, products and capacity building to support the coordination, planning, and allocation of resources for humanitarian, development and peace-related activities. An overview of the various MIMU activities is included in the table below.

Our in-house capacities include expertise in information management and IM systems development, data and database management, spatial data management, mapping and data visualization, data analysis, web/ICT and liaison/networking services supporting a Resource Centre; and proactive outreach to the various stakeholder groups.

The common data and information repository maintained by MIMU collates various types of data (spatial data as well as statistics) from many different sources on all sectors and at the lowest administrative unit for which it is available. This data is then processed by MIMU and provided in forms that make it usable to support the planning, implementation and coordination of humanitarian, development and peace-focused activities.

MIMU also plays a role in promoting the use of data standards to enable exchange and compilation of information from different sources through initiatives such as the Place Codes and convening the inter-agency Information Management Network.

MIMU Activities and Services
INFORMATION SERVICES
  • Contact lists – Extensive agencies & offices contact list, coordination teams listing
  • Countrywide Inter-agency Meeting and Event Schedules
  • Countrywide HDP Nexus 5W – Who is doing What, Where, When and for Whom (hundreds of contributing agencies)
  • Assessments & Publications Tracking
MAPPING and GIS
  • Map development, Geospatial standards, Up-to-date country maps to village location
  • Customized mapping support
  • Maintaining Common and Fundamental Datasets to support emergency response
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
  • Technical resource providing advice and support in information management-related initiatives
  • Technical training and capacity development in data management, GIS and information management
  • Supporting design of databases and surveys
DATA REPOSITORY
  • Tracking available data to township level (over 230 indicators from 258 sources)
  • Data tools to support planning and analysis (Township, Vulnerability dashboards, Excel mapping tool etc)
  • Technical resources on data and database management
  • Customised support to data requests
ANALYSIS
  • Context Analysis and Publications
  • Vulnerability in Myanmar
  • Situation Analysis of south-eastern Myanmar
  • Infographics on Gender Equity, Landmine contamination, Coordination teams ...
IM COORDINATION and
NETWORKING
  • Leading the inter-agency Information Management Network and the GIS Working Group to strengthen and harmonize IM activities and approaches
  • Support to inter-agency and donor coordination structures and initiatives
NATIONAL SYSTEMS
STRENGTHENING
  • Technical Support in emergencies
  • Initiatives to strengthen data quality, availability and analysis
  • Symposium on building GIS capacities
  • Mapping of formal sector schools
  • Support to development of the National Coding System
DISSEMINATION
  • MIMU website – hundreds of pages in Myanmar and English languages on emergency, humanitarian, development and peace sectors
  • Millions of page views each year and extensive downloads of MIMU created products


MIMU Principles

  • MIMU seeks to ensure a robust, impartial and independent mechanism for creative and innovative approaches to information management, and to lay the foundations for sustainable information management capacity among Myanmar-focused humanitarian, development and peace actors.
  • MIMU is a resource for the entire humanitarian and development community  in Myanmar, countrywide, and therefore will not primarily service the needs of any single individual or agency.
  • MIMU activities are evidence-based and span all humanitarian/development/peace-related sectors, providing data on the whole of the country alongside a focus on priority areas for the United Nations Country Team and the Humanitarian Country Team.
  • MIMU services and initiatives seek to promote good practice at local, regional and national levels while maintaining a people-centered and conflict-sensitive approach.
  • All data and information products provided to and created by MIMU are the collective property of the UNCT/HCT/PSG-led humanitarian, development and peace-focused communities. MIMU strives to ensure data and information products are openly accessible, but will limit access and/or dissemination of sensitive information and products.

How is it funded?

MIMU seeks multi-year grants from two to three donors to support its work. It has no core funding from any other source. The support of our donors allows MIMU to provide its services free of charge to support humanitarian, development and peace-building/peace-related activities. Private sector companies may use MIMU resources at their own expense provided MIMU products are not sold for profit and MIMU is duly acknowledged as the source.

How is it governed?

MIMU comes under the direct supervision of the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, with strategic guidance from the MIMU Advisory Board which comprises representatives of the United Nations, International NGOs, Myanmar NGOs and Myanmar-based cooperation partners. This ensures that MIMU is a broadly owned service which supports the information management needs of the humanitarian, development and peace-focused sectors.

Is MIMU only in Myanmar or also in other countries?

MIMU is a Myanmar-focused service. It is the only service in Myanmar providing such information management services across all humanitarian, development and peace-focused sectors, countrywide.