Placing Digital Humanitarian Technologies

“数字化转型”正在改变人们对援助的理解、实施和接受方式。人道主义组织、学者、企业、国家和地方社区正以不同的方式联系在一起，承担着新的角色、责任和期望。智能手机应用程序、区块链、机器学习和无人机/卫星数据等数字技术不仅增强了当前的援助计划，而且还预测了数据收集、分析、传播和存储的新数字实践，旨在增强社区的能力，减少脆弱性，增加捐款，激励公私投资，促进环境可持续性。该博士学位是与世界上最大的人道主义组织之一联合国儿童基金会合作开展的，重点关注：(1)“人道主义数字技术”快速增长背后的驱动因素；(2)援助组织推广这些数字技术所固有的预期收益和挑战。重要的是，博士学位旨在通过批判性地评估(3)如何将这些新实践与数字技术联系起来，从而为人道主义规划做出重大贡献，例如，增加社区服务，可以集中于提高当地生态系统的健康水平，同时也为未来的就业或创业提供可转移技能的培训。博士与联合国儿童基金会合作，专注于绿色YOMA（青年市场机构）的实验计划。作为全球YOMA计划的一个分支，Green YOMA使用区块链来验证青年对可持续项目的参与，以便他们的贡献可以获得进一步培训和教育的学分，并使用机器学习将简历与未来的活动相匹配。通过深入研究Green YOMA在个人、非政府组织、特别是非洲无人机和数据学院网络之间建立的数字化联系，博士通过访谈、焦点小组和众包来绘制这一倡议是否、如何以及产生什么影响，挑战了更大的社会分歧并赋予了社区权力。

The 'digital turn' is transforming how aid is understood, practiced and received. Humanitarian organisations, academics, businesses, the state and local communities are connecting in different ways, with new roles, responsibilities and expectations. Digital technologies such as smartphone apps, blockchain, machine learning, and drone/satellite data, augment current aid programmes, but also anticipate new digital practices of data collection, analysis, dissemination and storage intended to empower communities, reduce vulnerabilities, grow donorship monies, incentivise private-public investments, and promote environmental sustainability. This PhD, undertaken in collaboration with one of the world's largest humanitarian organisations, UNICEF, focuses on: (1) the drivers behind the rapid growth of 'humanitarian digital technologies'; and (2) the anticipated benefits and challenges inhering to the promotion of these digital technologies by aid organisations. Importantly, the PhD aims to make a substantial contribution to humanitarian programming by critically assessing (3) how these new practices are in turn being linked up using digital technologies, such that increased community service, for example, can centre on increasing the health of local ecological systems while also providing training in transferable skills for future employment or entrepreneurship. Working with UNICEF the PhD focuses on the experimental scheme Green YOMA [Youth Market Agency]. An offshoot of the global-wide YOMA programme, Green YOMA uses blockchain to verify youth engagement with sustainable projects so that their contributions can earn credits for further training and education, and uses machine learning to match CVs with future activities. Delving into the digitised linkages being set up by Green YOMA between individuals, NGOs and particularly the African Drone and Data Academy network, the PhD uses interviews, focus groups and crowdsourcing to map out if, how and with what effect this initiative challenges larger social divisions and empowers communities.