Data Protection
in Humanitarian Action
About
The Brussels Privacy Hub (BPH) as an academic research centre with a global focus, working on data protection and privacy issues, wishes to use its high-quality academic work to have a world-wide impact and give back to the international community. To further this goal, the BPH joined the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to produce the Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action (Handbook) in 2014.
The first edition of the Handbook, which was published in 2017, offers guidelines to organisations providing humanitarian assistance on how to protect personal data of affected individuals and of their own personnel. By providing much needed guidance on data protection while focusing on the core humanitarian principles, in particular the principles of ‘do no harm’ and human dignity, the Handbook filled a knowledge gap in the humanitarian sector.
The work of international and non-governmental organisations in humanitarian emergencies such as armed conflicts and other situations of violence, forced displacement, large migration flows, natural disasters and epidemics is essential for the protection of life, integrity, and dignity of vulnerable persons. Conducting such work frequently requires the collection and processing of a great deal of personal data, which is often highly sensitive. With this in mind, the Handbook explores the data protection concerns that humanitarian organisations face in their work, especially when deploying innovative technology.
2nd Working Series
Due to constant changes in the technologies that are coming together to form humanitarian programs, there is a need to update the first edition of the Handbook by adding new chapters on different technologies that have been receiving increasing attention. With this goal in mind, the BHP and the ICRC launched the 2nd working series, which brings together different stakeholders to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the most pressing issues in data protection currently affecting the humanitarian sector. The advisory board and working group for the second edition has been expanded to include more representatives of humanitarian organisations, data protection authorities, academics, NGOs, and experts on relevant topics.
On 3 June 2020, the Hub together with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) published the second edition of their Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action. The co-editors of the second edition are Christopher Kuner, co-director of the Hub, and Massimo Marelli of ICRC. The second edition builds on the first edition published in 2017, and includes additional chapters on data protection and the following technologies: digital identity; social media; blockchain; connectivity as aid; and artificial intelligence and machine learning.
For the release of the second edition of the Data Protection Handbook for Humanitarian Action, the ICRC has convened a panel of experts to discuss how, in today’s technological landscape, data protection is a more essential concern than ever. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact societies worldwide, contact tracing apps are being developed in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. While arguably effective in this sense, such technologies also pose important questions regarding the relationship between public health, data protection and privacy.
More information about the event available here.
Topics
The 2020 edition of the Handbook will provide more practical examples to the topics addressed in the first edition: data analytics and big data; drones/UAVs and remote sensing; biometrics; cash transfer programmes; cloud services; and mobile messaging apps. It will also include new chapters on blockchain, digital identity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, connectivity as aid and social media. These topics will be the focus of a number of workshops:
- 26-27 February 2019, Geneva: Workshops on Blockchain and Digital Identity Use Cases in the Humanitarian Sector
- 2-3 April 2019, Brussels: Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Use Cases in the Humanitarian Sector
- 3-4 June 2019, Geneva: Workshops on Connectivity as Aid and Social Media Use Cases in the Humanitarian Sector
Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action
The Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action addresses questions that arise in applying data protection to international humanitarian action, and is addressed to staff of international humanitarian organisations and NGOs who are involved in the processing of personal data, particularly those in charge of advising on and applying data protection standards. It is hoped that it may also prove useful to other parties, such as data protection authorities, private companies, and others involved in international humanitarian action.
Handbook Dissemination
Protecting individuals’ Personal Data is an integral part of protecting their life and dignity. This is why Personal Data protection is of fundamental importance for Humanitarian Organizations.
Recent developments in new technologies have meant that the Processing of ever-increasing quantities of Personal Data in an interconnected world has become easier and faster. This has also given rise to concerns about the possible intrusion into the private sphere of individuals and to regulatory efforts worldwide to respond to these concerns.
The Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action has been published as part of the Data Protection in Humanitarian Action project, organized jointly by the Brussels Privacy Hub, an academic research centre of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Brussels, Belgium, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Data Protection Office in Geneva, Switzerland.
The content of the first edition of the Handbook was developed in a series of workshops held in Brussels and Geneva in 2015–2016, with representatives from Humanitarian Organizations (including humanitarian practitioners), data protection authorities, academics, non-governmental organizations, researchers and other experts. They came together to address questions of common concern in the application of data protection in Humanitarian Action, particularly with respect to new technologies.
On 3 June 2020, the Hub together with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) published the second edition of their Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action. The co-editors of the second edition are Christopher Kuner, co-director of the Hub, and Massimo Marelli of ICRC.
The second edition builds on the first edition published in 2017, and includes additional chapters on data protection and the following technologies: digital identity; social media; blockchain; connectivity as aid; and artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The Handbook aims to further the discussion launched by the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners’ (ICDPPC’s) Resolution on Privacy and International Humanitarian Action adopted in Amsterdam in 2015. It is not intended to replace compliance with applicable legal norms, or with data protection rules, policies and procedures that a particular organization may have adopted. Rather, the Handbook seeks to raise awareness and assist Humanitarian Organizations in ensuring that they comply with Personal Data protection standards when carrying out humanitarian activities, by providing specific guidance on the interpretation of data protection principles for Humanitarian Action, particularly when new technologies are employed.
On 3 June 2020, for the release of the second edition of the Data Protection Handbook for Humanitarian Action, the ICRC has convened a panel of experts to discuss how, in today’s technological landscape, data protection is a more essential concern than ever. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact societies worldwide, contact tracing apps are being developed in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. While arguably effective in this sense, such technologies also pose important questions regarding the relationship between public health, data protection and privacy.
Further information about the event available here.
Handbook Dissemination
Since its publication, the Handbook has been presented at the following events:
- 23 October 2018, Brussels: ICDPPC 2018 Side Event: Data protection in humanitarian action 2nd working series
- 12 March 2018, Brussels: Conference on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action Presented by Minister of Development Cooperation, Digital Agenda Telecom and Postal Services, ICRC Delegation to the EU, NATO and the Kingdom of Belgium, Brussels Privacy Hub
- 30 November – 1 December 2017, Brussels: Annual DG ECHO Partners’ Conference, Brussels
- 22 November 2017, Brussels: Community Call on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Responsible Data Fourm
- 22-24 November 2017,Strasbourg: 35th Plenary of the Consultative Committee of the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (T-PD)
- 29 September 2017, Rennes: Digital data, migrants and refugees Workshop, Faculty of Law and Political Science of Rennes University
- 27 September 2017, Hong Kong: 39th International Conference Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, side event on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action
- 4 September 2017, Gammarth, Tunisia: 10ème Conférence Francophone, Association Francophone des Autorités de Protection des Données Personnelles, session on Data Protection in International Humanitarian Action
Useful Links
- Data protection in humanitarian action
- Privacy International report on metadata Problem – Doing No Harm in the Digital Era
- ICRC Data Protection Office
- ICRC Rules on Personal Data Protection
- CPDP 2018: Data Protection challenges in Humanitarian Action (video)
- Creating International Frameworks for Data Protection: The ICRC/Brussels Privacy Hub Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action
- Summary: Conference on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action (12 March 2018)
- Next steps for the Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action
- Data protection law and the COVID-19 outbreak