Refugees and Identity: Considerations for mobile-enabled registration and aid delivery

An unprecedented number of people were forced to leave of flee their homes due to conflict and persecution in 2016, with the global displaced population reaching nearly 64 million by mid-year. An area of increasing focus is the opportunity for mobile and digital technology to play a role in establishing unique, digital identities for refugees.

In this report we explore the refugee registration and identification processes typically employed by host governments and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), highlighting where digital innovations are making registration more efficient, improving cross-organisational data sharing, and establishing digital identities that can be verified anytime, anywhere. It is clear that there are emerging opportunities for mobile network operators and mobile technology to play a vital role in this space.