In 2014 alone, almost 107 million people around the globe were affected by disasters. Over 260 million Africans have been affected by these events in the last decade.
Speaking during a panel discussion around tech interventions in times of humanitarian crises, at the GSMA Mobile 360 event in Cape Town, Kyla Reid, head of disaster response at GSMA Mobile for Development, outlined the importance of access and reliable connectivity.
She noted technology can be used to completely revolutionise how relief work is done. "We are witnessing the development of and the digitisation of aid. We are moving away from the distribution of hard goods like food, to mobile-facilitated transfers that allow people to purchase things that they see as being a priority in times of crisis response. This goes to the heart of giving people choice when they are affected by disasters."
For Claire Mattei,group senior director for brand and corporate responsibility at the Ooredoo Group, mobile operators, governments and businesses should always have a plan in place to handle a disaster situation. "As businesses we need to be ready for the unexpected. We need a framework for action in the event of a crisis."
Mattei noted women are often the most negatively affected in crisis situations. They tend to be less likely to have access to mobile technologies and as such are largely disconnected during these real times of need. The idea is to repurpose technologies and mobile solutions to ensure continuity of access for everyone, but for women especially, she stated.
Speaking directly to the current global refugee crisis, Doug Green, CIO and director for the division of information systems and telecoms at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), noted the world is experiencing the largest refugee crisis since World War II. The goal of the UNHCR is to ensure all refugees and host communities have seamless and affordable access to connectivity and broadband services.
"We believe access to information is a critical need. These people have left their country of origin, they've left the protection of their governments and are in a situation where the receiving government may not always be as receptive to their needs. They are unconnected from their families and from resources."
According to Green, improving coverage and access, as well as promoting affordability, is critical to providing people who have been forced to flee their homes with much-needed connectivity. He also highlighted the importance of partnering with various industry players, donors and governments to provide refugees with the means to access basic human rights, ensuring their safety and their ability to secure sustainable livelihoods in their new surroundings.
"The most affected places unfortunately tend to be the most remote and the most disadvantaged in terms of connectivity," outlined Josephine Ndambuki, asenior transmissionplanning andsupport engineer at Safaricom in Kenya.
Over the last decade, mobile solutions have often been used to handle response requirements in Kenya - using technology as a central pillar to connect people with each other and to aid response during tough times, noted Ndambuki. She cited the recent use of mobile money platforms to raise funds to alleviate the effects of a drought in the region as an example of these interventions. "It is about using the technology that we have to provide interventions and response channels to communities. A connected person, irrespective of where they are and the situation they are in, is an empowered and secure person."
Making a technological impact in disaster situations should focus on empowering the beneficiary, Ndambuki continued. The individual who is affected now has the control because they are provided with the platforms and means to run initiatives and campaigns to address the problems they are experiencing on the ground. "The challenge is to make this technology accessible to everyone who wants to run and champion a campaign."
There has been a sizable shift in the way mobile operators are working with, and partnering with, humanitarian agencies, said Reid. As with any new partnership, there are preconceived notions about each party's intentions ? mobile operators are seen as being entirely profit-driven, and humanitarian initiatives seemingly lack the right level of tech-savvy to enable them to deliver services. These perceptions must change if we want our relationships to mature and develop, she pointed out.
"Preparedness and sustainability are critical," added Green. You have to make a business case for these initiatives and unfortunately, the reality is that the business case in these scenarios is not always an attractive one.
"There is still a lot that can be done," concluded Ndambuki. "We now have a powerful tool that will help us find the missing links to improve the way we handle disasters - a mobile phone."
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