By offeri­ng refuge­es a virtua­l identi­ty, reassu­ring donors that their money is being well spentBlockchain, the technology behind the cryptocurrency bitcoin, is taking root in a sector far from finance: the world of humanitarian aid. At the end of 2017, UNICEF — the UN agency dedicated to protecting children — brought together Russian-speaking blockchain experts in a meeting in Kazakhstan. For aid and development groups, blockchain can come in all shapes and sizes. Besides the technical constraints, such as the need for an internet connection, blockchain poses some basic questions about governance and data protection. Her group recently teamed up with tech giants Microsoft and Accenture for the ID2020 Alliance, working on a virtual identity model to help refugees.

Source: The Express Tribune February 18, 2018 09:00 UTC