30 Enabling SSI in humanitarian contexts
Nathan Cooper and Amos Doornbos
The name itself—”self-sovereign identity”—makes it clear that individuals are at the heart of SSI. This suggests that SSI should in theory be a powerful new tool for empowering individuals in humanitarian contexts. While that is indeed the promise, it is not as easy as it might look. To explain the reality of both the potential and challenge, this chapter was contributed by two lifelong experts in leveraging technology in humanitarian contexts: Nathan Cooper, Senior Advisor for innovation in disaster preparedness at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Amos Doornbos, disaster management strategy and systems director for World Vision International.
Humanitarian crises are becoming more frequent, more complex, and affect more people. Trends like rapid urbanization and climate change are expected to increase the frequency and severity of disasters and heighten people’s vulnerability to crises.[1] Funding to respond to humanitarian needs is also growing, but at a much slower pace than the growth in needs.[2]