Research projects

GICHD

Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) works for the elimination of anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW). The Centre contributes to the social and economic well-being of people and communities in affected countries. The Centre supports the national mine action programmes, while cooperating with other relevant organisations, and follows the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. The GICHD provides advice and capacity building support, undertakes applied research, disseminates knowledge and best practices, and develops standards. The Centre aims to enhance performance and professionalism in mine action, and supports the implementation of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, the Convention on Cluster Munitions and other relevant instruments of international law. The GICHD is an international expert organisation, registered as a non-profit foundation in Switzerland.

Between 2010 and 2013, Pierre Lacroix from the enviroSPACE group has organised a close collaboration by bringing innovative GIS solutions in the GICHD activities.

Results of this research are:

  • Assessment of a set of cartographic methods for showing ERW contamination at different geographic scales (global to local)
  • A GIS-based approach for modeling and estimating people at risk of ERW hazards
  • 5D , a GIS-based approach for Determining and Displaying a Degree of operational Difficulty of Demining
  • NAMA, a GIS-based Network Analysis approach for Mine Action
  • MASCOT , a Spatial Decision-Support System to help priority setting
  • START , a series of tools for optimizing GIS workflows
  • An E-learning solution to teach the basics of cartography
  • Suggestions for mine action cartographic standards
  • Technical specifications of a Spatial Data Infrastructure for mine action
  • GIS for Mine Action , an issue brief targeting strategic and operational stakeholders

PhD Thesis: WWW

www.gichd.org