PRIMES Interoperability Gateway (PING)
PRIMES Interoperability Gateway (PING)
Tigisti Aninia Zeray, an Eritrean refugee, received a digital ID card in Ethiopia, thanks to data transfers between UNHCR and the government, using PING technology.
What is PING?
The PRIMES* Interoperability Gateway (PING) is a data sharing platform that facilitates secure data sharing between UNHCR and partners.
Increasingly, UNHCR relies on partner collaboration that may require personal data exchange for humanitarian efforts. Sharing data among UNHCR, NGOs, governments, and other agencies enhances protection, assistance, and solutions delivery.
PING provides multiple data transfer modalities including via API and file transfer, and a low-code or no-code, configuration-driven approach that minimizes the effort needed to achieve data transfer.
What is PING?
The PRIMES* Interoperability Gateway (PING) is a data sharing platform that facilitates secure data sharing between UNHCR and partners.
Increasingly, UNHCR relies on partner collaboration that may require personal data exchange for humanitarian efforts. Sharing data among UNHCR, NGOs, governments, and other agencies enhances protection, assistance, and solutions delivery.
PING provides multiple data transfer modalities including via API and file transfer, and a low-code or no-code, configuration-driven approach that minimizes the effort needed to achieve data transfer.
+20
countries actively exploring PING
3
current projects
234,508
individuals assisted through PING
3,456,308
data records transferred between UNHCR and partner databases
What are PING's benefits?
- Facilitated refugee inclusion in state systems: PING allows governments and partners to include data collected by UNHCR;
- Secure data transfer: PING ensures a secure method of data transfer between UNHCR and partners, adhering to data protection and privacy principles;
- Privacy by design and by default: the platform employs a "privacy by design and by default" approach in accordance with the UNHCR Data Protection Policy and Security Guidelines;
- Multiple data transfer modalities: PING supports various data transfer modalities, including one-way or bi-directional; on-demand or scheduled; and API-based or file system-based;
- Data aggregation: the platform aggregates data from disparate UNHCR PRIMES data stores according to the needs of the partner, streamlining the data-sharing process;
- Data transformation: PING applies data transformations to any number of requested data elements, minimizing the data processing effort required by the partner;
- Secure partner portal: the platform provides a secure partner portal where partners can monitor and audit completed or in-progress transfers.
Data protection
Whether it is collecting, storing, or sharing data, data protection is of the utmost importance for UNHCR. Data sharing requires provisions and agreements under UNHCR's General Policy on Personal Data Protection and Privacy (GDPP). This policy brings the Agency’s longstanding human rights-based approach to data protection and privacy. The policy also sets out a general framework for UNHCR to process personal data in a manner that is consistent with the UN Personal Data Protection and Privacy Principles.
To configure regular data transfers using PING, a data sharing arrangement is required in the form of either:
- Data Sharing Agreement (DSA)
-
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
-
Partnership Agreement, Annex C: Processing and Protection of Personal Data
Once an agreement is established, partner organizations can access UNHCR data using PING.
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SDG 1 – No poverty
UNHCR’s PING helps work with governments and partners for greater socio-economic inclusion, access to banking and lawful access to employment.
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SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth
UNHCR works with governments to facilitate refugees' legal access to employment and banking, as was the case in Ethiopia using PING for interoperability between UNHCR and the National Digital Identity Programme.
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SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
Bridging the gap between national systems PING has helped refugees access healthcare services equivalent to that provided to nationals in Ethiopia. See our case study for more details.
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SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals
Partnership is essential to the success of any interoperability initiative. PING embodies supporting effective partnerships through digital solutions.
Request for data sharing
Partners that wish to access UNHCR data must contact their nearest UNHCR country office. The country office will guide the partner through the process of establishing a data-sharing agreement.
Further information
