In Pursuit of Data: The Use of Biometric Technology in Humanitarian Response

This doctoral dissertation explores the role of biometric technology in humanitarian response through three articles. The first article compares the biometric practices of the UN Refugee Agency, World Food Programme, International Committee of the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, and World Vision International. It highlights different uses, collaborations, and data protection measures. The second article examines the factors influencing these differences, showing that humanitarian organizations have distinct interests, motivations, and responses to external demands, which shape their decision-making processes, including biometric practices. The third article evaluates the tangible benefits and drawbacks of biometric technology in humanitarian work, focusing on Lebanon, the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometer in the world. It concludes that while biometrics mainly benefit humanitarian organizations, the efficiency gains for aid recipients are limited, and they bear the risks associated with data collection. The central argument of the dissertation is that the deployment of biometric systems is far from uniform, with significant variations in their impact depending on the specific context. This variability challenges the generalizations often made in existing literature about the benefits and risks of humanitarian technology.