The Relevance and Effectiveness of Humanitarian Aid: Reflections about the Relationship between Providers and Recipients

Torrenté, Nicolas de

doi:10.1353/sor.2013.0023

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Indeed, the ability of HOs to navigate the tension between humanitarian mandates and political agendas has long been a subject of debate (Barnett, 2005;Curtis, 2001;Fassin, 2011;Topcu, 1999). HOs wield significant influence over the target population but remain relatively powerless within the complex political, financial, and military dynamics of crises, and this power asymmetry creates a situation in which HOs are susceptible to adopting practices that align with the interests of the States and major donors (De Torrenté, 2013). While national governments and donors do not always specifically request the implementation of biometric systems, they do expect increased credibility, security, efficiency, and accountability that HOs embody using biometrics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unique data, different values: Explaining variation in the use of biometrics by international humanitarian organizations

Açıkyıldız

2024

Global Policy

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Humanitarian organizations are increasingly using biometric technology. Although the existing literature comprehensively covers this issue, it overlooks the considerable divergence in approaches and policies. In fact, there are significant differences in how biometric data are collected, stored, processed, shared, and protected. Drawing on an analysis of relevant news items, documents, and 17 semi‐structured interviews with humanitarian practitioners, this paper explains the variational biometric practices of humanitarian organizations. The case studies are the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations World Food Programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, and World Vision International. Contributing to the scholarly debates about, first, the use of technology in humanitarian response and, second, the complex interdependence and power relations between major donors, States, and international organizations, this paper argues that combinations of three broad factors – organizational culture, mandates and scope of action, and institutional structure significantly shape how each organization understands and practices biometrics. Humanitarian organizations have different interests, motivations, ideologies, statuses, structures, and areas of expertise, and they respond differently to the demands of the States and other influential actors, thus having different applications of biometric data.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unique data, different values: Explaining variation in the use of biometrics by international humanitarian organizations

Açıkyıldız

2024

Global Policy

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“…The lessons from the 2004 South Asian tsunami underscore the importance of aligning aid with actual needs and ensuring long-term sustainability (Torrente, 2013). However, research is scarce on the perspectives of 'bottom-up' or aid recipients, hindering a comprehensive understanding and enhancement of aid quality (Ramalingam et al, 2009;Sandvik, 2017).…”

Section: Literature Review and Research Gapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, research is scarce on the perspectives of 'bottom-up' or aid recipients, hindering a comprehensive understanding and enhancement of aid quality (Ramalingam et al, 2009;Sandvik, 2017). Marginalized individuals often struggle to advocate for themselves, posing challenges for humanitarian organizations to address their needs effectively (Torrente, 2013) and ensure aid reaches the intended target group. Consequently, there is a need for renewed guidelines and criteria, particularly for the most vulnerable (Clay et al, 1999).…”

Section: Literature Review and Research Gapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of Social Technical Assistance (STA) Program for Vulnerable Beneficiaries: Evidence from Nepal’s Post-Earthquake Reconstruction

Bhusal,

Bhattarai,

Walkley

2024

Preprint

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This research assesses the effectiveness of the Socio-Technical Assistance (STA) program combined with Owner-Driven Housing Reconstruction for rural private housing recovery after Nepal’s 2015 earthquake, particularly targeting vulnerable households. Through a quantitative 304-questionnaire survey, the study reveals that 96% of households credited STA activities for accelerating reconstruction, with 95% acknowledging its significance and 78% emphasizing its necessity. Notably,89% expressed dependency on STA for reconstruction, and 85% believed it heightened disaster risk reduction awareness. In conclusion, the study establishes that STA activities significantly contributed to the successful reconstruction of vulnerable households, addressing critical aspects such as financial support, technical assistance, housing accessibility, earthquake-resilient construction, improved livelihoods, and safety enhancements. The field study presents crucial recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of Socio-Technical Assistance (STA) activities in post-earthquake rural private housing reconstruction. Emphasizing the need for tailored, demand-driven interventions, the study cautions against relying solely on an Owner-driven Reconstruction model, challenging the one-size-fits-all strategy. The study proposes integrating tailored interventions into overarching recovery strategies, advocating for coordinated efforts to enhance Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) awareness and cultivate resilient communities in particularly vulnerable households. Aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11, which focuses on sustainable cities and communities. This research aims to enhance the literature on post-disaster humanitarian shelter and settlement by emphasizing the significance of inclusive and comprehensive approaches to recovery and reconstruction.

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“…In fact, the extent of the ability of data subjects to exercise choice has been a contested subject. The unbalanced power relationship between HOs and aid beneficiaries is argued to put vulnerable people in a situation where they cannot express their reluctance to data collection (de Torrenté, 2013; Rahman, 2018; Kaurin, 2019). Ultimately, variational consent‐seeking practices imply a trade‐off between disregarding appropriate information sharing or offering alternative registration methods and a meaningful choice in which aid continues to be distributed, even if consent cannot be obtained.…”

Section: Emerging Trends and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘I know you like the back of my hand’: biometric practices of humanitarian organisations in international aid

Açιkyιldιz

2023

Disasters

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Humanitarian organizations are increasingly utilizing biometric data. However, we know little about the extent and scope of this practice, as its benefits and risks have attracted all the attention so far. This paper explores the biometric practices of the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations World Food Programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, and World Vision International. The paper analyzed relevant documents published over the past two decades and 17 semi‐structured interviews with humanitarian workers conducted between June 2021 and June 2022. The findings display that humanitarian organizations use diverse types and functions of biometric data for different services, collaborate with many actors, and use various data protection measures. Ultimately, challenging the straightforward generalizations about the use of such data, the paper argues that variational applications of biometrics in the humanitarian context require case‐by‐case analysis, as each use case will likely produce a different outcome.

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The Relevance and Effectiveness of Humanitarian Aid: Reflections about the Relationship between Providers and Recipients

Cited by 11 publications

References 2 publications

Unique data, different values: Explaining variation in the use of biometrics by international humanitarian organizations

Unique data, different values: Explaining variation in the use of biometrics by international humanitarian organizations

Effectiveness of Social Technical Assistance (STA) Program for Vulnerable Beneficiaries: Evidence from Nepal’s Post-Earthquake Reconstruction

‘I know you like the back of my hand’: biometric practices of humanitarian organisations in international aid

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