Digital Identity: An Analysis for the Humanitarian Sector

Being able to prove one’s identity is critical in modern society. This is no less the case for people being served by humanitarian organizations. Indeed, those without official identification are among the most vulnerable. While previous solutions to this challenge have relied on traditional means, these are not ideal, especially in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent technological developments have seen increased interest in the deployment of digital identities. Through a series of expert interviews and case studies, this report delves into the humanitarian contexts where organizations are already piloting digital ID solutions, looking at technical, ethical, and sustainability considerations. It shows that digital ID has great potential for use in the humanitarian sector, with benefits to organizations and affected communities alike, while also outlining its limitations and the challenges to overcome.

This research was commissioned by the IFRC and carried out by the Oxford Centre for Technology and Development. It was supported by the Dignified Identities in Cash Assistance (DIGID) project consortium comprised of the Norwegian Red Cross, Norwegian Refugee Council, Norwegian Church Aid, and Save the Children Norway. The DIGID consortium also held a webinar featuring one of the authors introducing this report, as part of Data and Digital Week in April 2021.

Are you sure you want to delete this "resource"?
This item will be deleted immediately. You cannot undo this action.

Related Resources

Video
23 Mar 2015
Over the past two decades, extreme weather events have caused more than 13,000 deaths and property damage in excess of $6.4 billion in Vietnam. More than 70% of the country’s population is at risk of natural hazards, particularly the rural and ...
Tags: Video, Flood, Infrastructure and Services, Resilience
Report
23 Aug 2022
En octubre y noviembre del 2020, en México, una serie de frentes fríos y dos ciclones detonaron graves inundaciones en los estados de Chiapas, Tabasco y Veracruz. En el estado de Tabasco, durante el mes de noviembre, se registró una importante pre...
Tags: Report, Behavior Change and Disaster Preparedness, Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Management, Community Engagement and Accountability, Flood, Infrastructure and Services, Recovery, Resilience
Research
07 Jan 2015
The purpose of this paper is to show how Social Media can be used to support an effective disaster response. The research comes primarily from news articles, academic articles, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports. Contained in th...
Tags: Research