Data Simplified. Protection amplified. An essential conversation for CVA practitioners. 

Background  

As humanitarian aid becomes increasingly remote and digitized in the pandemic, and data is both a commodity and a weapon, how do we protect those we aim to help? More than ever, data must be treated as an extension of the individual and as an essential part of humanitarian protection. As cash and voucher assistance continues to grow, both in the humanitarian and social protection spaces, and we increasingly work with private sector partners and governments to deliver, we must ensure that data is responsibly managed to avoid harm. Through the Grand Bargain Cash and Risk sub-workstream, many organizations report they find the situation ‘paralyzing,’ resulting in limited learning and action across the humanitarian system.  

The CALP Network’s “Data Responsibility Toolkit: A Guide for CVA Practitioners” builds on and updates previous guidance to account for GDPR and the very rapidly evolving data ecosystem. On 11 March, the CALP Network, the ICT4D Conference and the Grand Bargain Cash and Risk sub-workstream brought together humanitarian practitioners in a dynamic discussion to call for action and plan for future data challenges.  

The speakers were:

Opening remarks 

• Anissa Toscano, Vice President, Humanitarian Leadership and Response, Mercy Corps 

Session 1: Introducing and applying the guidance 

• Stuart Campo, Team Lead for Data Responsibility, OCHA Centre for Humanitarian Data 
• Linda Raftree, consultant 
• Joseph Oliveros, Senior Officer, Cash Transfer Programming Innovations, IFRC

Session 2: Ethical and pragmatic approaches to data management  

• Wael Darwish, Chief of Party, Cash Consortium Yemen 
• Han Sheng Chia, Director, Special Projects, GiveDirectly
• Ana Maria Prieto, Deputy Director, Unit of Financial Regulations, Ministry of Finance of Colombia.