DEVELOPMENT AND Taking refuge in big data?
OPEC Fund intern Zaid Fattah is from California, US. Writing for the OPEC Fund Quarterly for the first time, Zaid tackles one of the most complex challenges of today: the global refugee crisis. He considers the potential of big data to help ease the suffering and strain for both refugees and the communities that host them.
"T
he refugee issue is one of the greatest humanitarian crises of the past century. Since it’s clear that no
quick fix exists, longer-term sustainable solutions are needed to alleviate the suffering of both refugees themselves, as well as the communities that host them. One such solution is big data – or large data sets that can be analyzed to reveal patterns, trends and associations – which can be used to better prepare and protect involved parties. Andrew Delgado, head of
coordination and analysis at the Swedish Migration Board, explained on leading digital publication ComputerWorld’s website that during the influx of migrants to Sweden in 2015, big data and analytics helped overcome some of the associated challenges, allowing Swedish authorities to accurately predict who was heading their way. Delgado went as far as saying that, 'without having that [data and analytics] capability, or looking at the tool every day, to assess every need, this would have crushed us.' In the same way, humanitarian and
development agencies are teaming up with data companies to work toward devising innovative solutions. Migration data is collected in a multitude of ways, such as via national population censuses, sample surveys, records on
48
YOUTH
A semi-regular feature providing a platform for young people
border crossings and smartphone use, and more. On the front lines of the crisis, the data is used by experts to chart where refugees are likely to arrive. This ‘migration mapping’ enables policymakers to prepare, and helps to ensure goods and services are delivered along routes and at destinations. Traveling refugee populations can benefit in other ways too, such as by being diverted away from ‘bottleneck’ areas and already-overcrowded refugee camps before they arrive. More widely recognizing the potential that big data has to help alleviate the refugee crisis may encourage more efforts to fill the sizable gaps in migration statistics. Within the past 10 years, for instance, only 12 out of 48 sub-Saharan African countries have conducted a census. With this data deprivation (see
http://bit.ly/OQ2019-2 for more) in mind, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) initiated a partnership with the World Bank in 2018 with the objective of improving the collection, analysis and dissemination of data relating to refugees. The partnership created the Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement to collect and distribute anonymous data to policymakers and development-related organizations and, ultimately, to give rise to more informed policies. The center began its operations in the first quarter of 2019 in its Denmark headquarters. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in a 2018 interview for the UNHCR website, noted the importance of such partnerships, saying: 'The scale, complexity and speed of today’s refugee crises mean we can no longer afford to respond
through humanitarian action alone. It is more important than ever to mobilize resources and plan for the longer term from the beginning. This is why early access to reliable data for development partners like the World Bank is so important.' Partnerships to improve refugee data collection are not new. In 2002, the UN partnered with Microsoft to develop an IT case management tool called ProGres – Profile Global Registration System – which is still being used. Upon arriving in a country and making a claim for asylum, a refugee’s details are entered into the database – a move that ensures he or she is eligible for humanitarian aid. This tool has made it easier for UNHCR staff to conduct refugee status determinations, process resettlement cases and facilitate integration.
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