Image courtesy of the World Economic Forum
At the upcoming World Economic Forum Regional Summit this week, the Syrian refugee crisis will certainly play a key role in the discussions. The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that there are more than 50 million people in the world who have been forcibly displaced from their homes. And while predictions around the number of future displaced persons differ, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 50 million more people may be displaced within the next 10 years as a result of desertification and climate change. The numbers are staggering, as is the human suffering that is being endured.
Yet I would argue there has never been more attention or awareness to the issue of displaced people, thanks to modern technology and all the media and social media channels that exist. The eyes of the world are gripped by daily media reports from all corners of the earth. Ebola in west Africa, the Syrian refugee crisis, and less high profile crises in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, as well as the recent disasters in Nepal, and the increasing flow of migrants arriving in Italy, and Burundi conflict are events that are all happening around us.
At the same time, the world of humanitarian response is challenged like never before with an ever-increasing frequency of conflict, disasters, and environmental degradation. In fact, there are more conflicts and disasters today than at any time in human history.
Modern technology is increasingly seen as a way to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian response. Indeed, like many industries undergoing data, mobility and cloud transformations, humanitarian response can benefit from the same opportunities. The challenge is knowing what technology to leverage, and how to best make use of data and partners, while at the same time protecting the privacy of individuals.
In fact, the role of the private sector is hugely underutilized in the world of humanitarian response. Companies are often looked to as a source of donations and aid, but the wealth of knowledge, innovation and scalable solutions that the private sector can bring could be worth far more than any cash donation. A few that come to mind from the ICT sector include the use of mobile technology to assist in family reconnection, early warning systems, access to internet and education resources, mobile payments and vouchers, identifying optimal logistics and routes, and data analytics on the spread of disease.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is running a series of business consultations in advance of the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016. I had the opportunity to host the Nordic one. These events are incredibly spread out in time and could be perceived as only bureaucratic, but they have actually proven to be a highly valuable means of collecting input from businesses on humanitarian issues. The question at large is what, in real terms, will OCHA do with all the input?
Whatever the case, we certainly need more strategic cooperation and coordination to leverage both technology and private sector engagement.The solutions and the impact that private sector can bring can truly be transformational.
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