Fragility, conflict, and violence pose growing threats to state security, the economy, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in countries affected. Major challenges, such as a turbulent economy or a spike in violence, are sources of human insecurity that alter people's way of life.

Working in fragile and conflict-affected areas comes with a number of difficulties, one of which is a lack of access. There is no safe access in areas where development, service delivery, or simply assisting people is most desperately needed. As a result, Earth Observation is extremely advantageous in these areas. Earth Observation satellites provide a safe and cost-effective way to get a comprehensive picture of the situation and assess the impact on assets, people, and land use and land cover. They also allow for regular monitoring of reconstruction efforts during the recovery phase.

This film provides an overview of the role of satellite data in supporting the World Bank's strategy on 'Fragility, Conflict and Violence' (FCV). Bernhard Metz, Senior Operations Officer for FCV, outlines the challenges of working in FCV states, and how satellite Earth Observation provides 'eyes on the ground'. He also explains the 'GEMS' initiative which enables locally acquired data and Earth Observation to be used in a complementary way to support specific interventions and monitoring.

Featured Educators

• Erick Fernandes, (Formerly World Bank)
• Ellen Hamilton, World Bank
• Bernhard Metz, World Bank
• Bekzod Shamsiev, World Bank

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