Episode Details

The digital transformation of humanitarian operations raises (at least) two existential issues: one, how do humanitarians preserve what is unique about their work amidst growing dependence on uncontrolled commercial partners; and two, how do humanitarians avoid being exploited for their qualified immunity? The answer is to make an implicit assumption in humanitarian law explicit: humanitarian organizations have a duty to integrity. As part of a growing debate around the humanitarian use of digital cash assistance, Sean Martin McDonald, CEO of FrontlineSMS and co-founder of Digital Public, highlights the importance of organizations’ responsibility to ensure that partners operating under their license abide by their humanitarian duties.