UNHCR enters 2023 with the General Policy on Personal Data and Privacy (GDPP) issued by the High Commissioner. The new policy establishes an updated and unified data protection and privacy framework applicable to the collection, use and sharing of personal data of all individuals by UNHCR, fostering trust among people we serve, staff, partners, and donors.
Data in humanitarian action can provide accurate and up-to-date information on the location, size, demographics and needs of populations affected by crises. This information is used to develop and implement targeted interventions, such as the provision of water, sanitation, shelter, and other critical emergency assistance to those who need it most.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital world, personal data protection has become a critical issue. With the exponential growth of big data, large amounts of personal information are being collected, stored, and processed, making privacy a major concern for individuals, organizations, and governments alike. To safeguard personal data, it is vital to adopt Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs), which are a range of innovative technical solutions designed to enhance privacy and protect personal data. These technologies use encryption and other methods to secure personal information and prevent unauthorized access. As technology continues to advance, so does the potential for privacy technologies to protect personal data in a variety of ways.
Inclusion of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in regularly collected national statistics provides the foundation for inclusion in services, policies, and development planning and help ensure that no one is left behind.
There is scope for improving the targeting of refugee child poverty, with potentially substantial gains in children’s wellbeing, if data exercises are designed to allow for intra-household poverty calculations.
Refugees’ financial needs evolve over time. Access to affordable and useful financial services ena-bles their socioeconomic inclusion and helps them better plan for their future.
A shock-responsive assistance distribution system that allows for adjustments of assistance could be more effective in helping refugee communities cope with changes in the wider economy.
Reliable data is essential when planning appropriate solutions for refugees and surrounding communities. Data gaps are potential obstacles when advocating for the involvement of development partners to invest in effective programmes.
While in the past emphasis lay on camps serviced by humanitarian actors, we now know that inclusion of refugees, IDPs, and stateless people in the hosting context is not only a good option, but a necessity to achieve better protection outcomes and to lay the ground for solutions.
