Evaluating the impact of technology-supported interventions in humanitarian aid: literature review and future research directions

The integration of digital technologies in humanitarian interventions has the potential to enhance the efficiency, speed, and effectiveness of aid delivery. However, evaluating these interventions is crucial due to associated risks such as data protection issues, digital inequality, and technology malfunctions. This paper conducts a systematic literature review to identify common evaluation criteria for technology-supported humanitarian interventions. The review reveals time efficiency, effectiveness, scalability, data protection, inclusivity, and sustainability as key criteria. Despite these advancements, gaps remain in addressing ethical considerations, collaboration, long-term sustainability, and inclusivity. Suggested future research directions include developing comprehensive frameworks for data protection and ethical considerations, enhancing inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring long-term sustainability, fostering effective collaboration, and creating methodologies for comprehensive impact assessments. This study contributes to the existing literature by offering concrete future research directions to ensure that digital technologies are used responsibly and effectively in humanitarian aid, enhancing the impact of interventions while safeguarding the dignity and rights of affected populations.