Challenges in Supporting Refugees in Developing Countries

Supporting Refugees is a long-term process spanning a wide range of areas, from emergency identification and the distribution of relief supplies to livelihood rebuilding support such as education, employment, and healthcare. There are three major challenges specific to refugee assistance:

• Lack of Identification:
  There are many cases where individual identification is difficult due to insufficient civil registration or lost identification cards. This leads to registration with inaccurate information or “double registration” by the same individual, resulting in a lack of fairness and efficiency in assistance, as limited resources fail to reach those who truly need them.
• Operations in Difficult Environments:
  Many of the sites requiring assistance are located far from existing towns or villages, lacking basic infrastructure such as telecommunications, electricity, and water. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for direct on-site support to be difficult because safety cannot be guaranteed due to terrorist activities and other security risks.
• Urgent Issues:
  The scale of refugee influxes and their needs fluctuate and are difficult to predict due to sudden changes in the situation, such as political instability or armed conflict. There is a strong need for an assistance system capable of responding agilely to such real-time changes.

Examples of IT Solutions

• Identity registration and aid history management using biometric authentication
• Online education and vocational training platforms for refugees
• Direct provision of aid information to refugees via smartphone apps

Our Achievements

1. Advisor for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Registration Support Utilizing DX in Burkina Faso (JICA)

Solution: Provision of Biometric Authentication and Registration Apps

We provide a digital registration solution utilizing fingerprint authentication devices as a means to enable reliable and rapid identity verification, even under unstable security conditions or inadequate communication environments.

• Refugee Registration via Biometric Authentication:
  Digital registration utilizing fingerprint authentication makes it possible to identify individuals even if they do not have ID cards. This physically eliminates “double registration” and creates an environment where limited relief resources are distributed fairly to those who truly need them.
• Offline, Locally-Led Operations:
  We provide applications that operate even in areas with poor communication infrastructure and unstable security. With a UI/UX design that local registration staff can operate themselves, it enables rapid and continuous data management even in difficult sites where external aid organizations have trouble accessing.
• Data Digital Transformation (DX):
  We digitize paper-based information to centrally manage household and aid history data. We build a system that can respond immediately to sudden situational changes based on accumulated data, smoothing the transition from the distribution of supplies to long-term livelihood rebuilding support such as education, healthcare, and employment.

Project Achievements

In November 2023, we conducted a pilot test for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) registration using digital technology in Burkina Faso. Using our proprietary application, we registered a total of approximately 300 households (1,200 individuals). Through this demonstration, we confirmed that the system’s stability and the equipment’s portability function effectively even in extreme field environments where the communication infrastructure is fragile and security measures are indispensable.

• [Activity Report] Internally Displaced Persons Registration Utilizing Digital Technology (Published December 2023) (Japanese)
• [Activity Report] Internally Displaced Persons Registration Utilizing Digital Technology in Burkina Faso (Published March 2024) (Japanese)

2. Maternal and Child Health and Humanitarian Assistance Project in Conflict-Affected Areas (SOIK Corporation Project)

Solution: Remote Maternal and Child Health Support Utilizing Mobile Technology

We provide “SPAQ,” a digital maternal and child health platform that allows midwives to conduct examinations and diagnoses for pregnant women using smartphones, even in conflict zones or remote areas with a shortage of doctors. Under unstable conditions such as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), we have realized high-quality medical access regardless of location for pregnant and nursing refugees who have difficulty moving physically. By digitally connecting specialists with the field, we enable early diagnosis, contributing to the improvement of maternal and child health and risk reduction on the front lines of humanitarian assistance.

For more details, please visit the link below.

• [Project Report] Partnership Project with UNFPA DRC – Maternal and Child Health and Humanitarian Assistance Project in Conflict-Affected Areas

Future Direction: Expansion to Multiple Regions and Community Partnership Support

• Global Horizontal Expansion:
  Leveraging the knowledge and system architecture gained through the demonstration in Burkina Faso, we will advance implementation in other regions and countries facing similar challenges. We will optimize the system in accordance with local laws and cultures, contributing to the protection of the rights of refugees and IDPs worldwide and the streamlining of assistance.
• Interoperability of Humanitarian Aid Data:
  We will build a foundation where information on “who received what kind of assistance and when” can be securely shared and managed digitally. By increasing information transparency among aid organizations and governments, we prevent the duplication of resources and aim to optimize the “last mile,” ensuring the most appropriate support reaches the individuals who need it most.
• Partnership with Communities:
  We will create a platform that connects registered refugees with their host communities. Going beyond mere information provision, we will support skill acquisition and opportunity creation to transition from temporary protection to “economic independence” by providing remote education tools and job matching functions.