Paper details
| Paper authors | Jeremy Taylor |
| In panel on | The politics of food and technology in changing global and local crises |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
In-Person / |
Abstract
[ Please note this is an edited/updated version of the previous abstract and replaces the previous version as a submission]
In today’s digitalized humanitarian system, data has become both a prerequisite and a gatekeeper. It dictates who receives aid, how resources are distributed, and which crises gain traction. Yet in contexts where digital systems are underdeveloped or data is deliberately withheld—such as Sudan and Ethiopia—this dependency risks compounding exclusion. This paper examines the humanitarian sector’s increasing reliance on digitalized, quantitative data as a condition for action and the unintended consequences for populations rendered invisible by data gaps. Drawing on frontline experience and case studies from data-denied environments, it explores how access constraints, regime obstruction, and the lack of digital infrastructure result in the erasure of millions from response plans and aid registries. As digital tools become central to assessment, targeting, and verification, the absence of interoperable or reliable data systems in fragile contexts exacerbates inequality and limits the reach of humanitarian response. The paper argues that rigid adherence to data-driven models—without sufficient safeguards for data-poor settings—has institutionalized exclusion. It calls for a shift toward a more adaptable, risk-tolerant approach that values local knowledge and principled action amid uncertainty. Only by confronting this digital divide can the sector begin to address the crisis of the “missing millions” and uphold its commitment to those most in need.
