UNHCR: INNOVATIVE IDENTITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USES BIOMETRICS TO BETTER SERVE REFUGEES

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INTROThe United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is rolling out a breakthrough Biometric Identity Management System (BIMS) that rapidly registers, de-duplicates and verifies the identities of refugees, ensuring that the right people receive assistance where and when they need it.

OPPORTUNITYUNHCR faced a key operational challenge: how to quickly and accurately identify a constantly changing population of forcibly displaced people in its refugee camps worldwide, often near war-torn regions. The agency had experimented with different biometric tools. To better manage its global refugee population, UNHCR recognized that it needed a standardized, integrated solution with a centralized data base for identity management. The tool would enable the agency’s 7600 employees to improve protection and support for an estimated 33.9 million refugees in 125 countries as they move across borders.

With a comprehensive biometric identity management system,

UNHCR could more easily register, verify identity and target assistance for refugees across its worldwide operations. The new system had to meet three objectives: rapidly determine what benefits and services a person needs; secure identities; and improve documentation to help longtime refugees find permanent solutions.

UNHCR selected Accenture in 2013 to design and build a breakthrough biometrics system. It turned to Accenture because of its vendor-independent solution—the Unique Identity Service Platform (UISP), which creates a single identity for each individual in a population. Accenture also offered experienced biometric teams and a proven record for global biometrics implementations that deliver public service for the future.

SOLUTIONCollaborating closely with UNHCR, in just six weeks Accenture configured a pilot Biometric Identity Management System using its UISP software, tailored to the agency’s unique needs. The

technology captures and stores fingerprints, iris data and facial images of individuals, providing undocumented refugees with their only personal identity record. Because it uses several biometric modalities, BIMS is more inclusive and accurate in matching an identity and de-duplicating multiple enrollment attempts.

To meet UNHCR needs, the biometrics system had to be durable (able to withstand rugged field conditions such as extreme heat, dust and humidity), always on (capable of working continuously working through power and connectivity outages), and user friendly since operators in refugee camps frequently change and have widely varying technology experience.

The integrated biometric identity management tool incorporates fingerprint, iris and facial capture and recognition technology from different vendors, including WCC Smart Search & Match, Green Bit, GenKey, Warwick Warp, IriTech, SmartSensors and Cognitec. BIMS was designed to work in conjunction with the agency’s existing case management

system, linking verification stations in local UNHCR offices and refugee camps to a central biometric database in Geneva.

Accenture and UNHCR put an early version BIMS to the test during a four-week pilot at the agency’s Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi. The Camp’s more than 17,000 refugees were rapidly registered and verified during the pilot.

Once fully launched, the technology will allow UNHCR offices around the world to identify refugees using face, iris and fingerprint recognition. The system provides UNHCR with the flexibility to deploy it locally or remotely in high-risk areas, with Accenture’s worldwide presence providing support.

RESULTSAfter reviewing the results of the trial in Malawi and implementing the necessary customization and improvements, UNHCR started rolling out BIMS globally in 2015. The deployment began in Thailand where 120,000 refugees were registered over a three- month period, and it expanded into Chad to help enroll the nation’s large refugee population-- 450,000 individuals in 19 camps. The innovative solution gives the agency an affordable management tool that is fast, intuitive, secure, durable, easy-to-use and adapts to varied and challenging environments. These capabilities allow UNHCR to speed benefits to refugees, while reducing the number of

duplicate identities and promoting the relocation of refugees from camps.

BIMS has quickly delivered impressive outcomes:

• Enrolled over 120,000 refugees living in 9 camps in Thailand in three months, ordered by family groups, nationality and family size, processing an average of 3,000 enrollments a day at its peak. • Enrolled over 100,000 refugees to date in Chad, at a pace of about 2,500 enrollments a day.• Captured ten fingerprints, two iris images and a face photo for most individuals. • Enabled ration card delivery to enrolled and verified families.

The central global database stores fingerprint, iris and face photo information for manual identification and facial recognition. The solution includes various improvements tailored to UNHCR’s needs, including an emergency feature to aid rapid registration of populations in advance of full registration, vital for refugees without IDs, as well as an ability to operate a local biometrics database that synchronises with the central global database for sites with limited bandwidth or intermittent connectivity.

“After reviewing the results of the trial in Malawi and making recommendations for improvements, we are moving forward and deploying a single global biometrics system for the

agency that is fast, intuitive, secure, mobile and durable in varied and challenging environments.” said Doug Greene, UNHCR's chief information officer. “We have now initiated a global roll-out of the system commencing in Thailand and Chad.”

For refugees, the system gives them a permanent identity record. “I can be someone now,” explained one Chadian refugee. “I am registered globally with the UN and you’ll always know whoI am.”

By teaming with Accenture, the UNHCR is delivering public service for the future-- improved help and protection for refugees in crisis.

ABOUT ACCENTUREAccenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 323,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$30.0 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2014. www.accenture.com.

INTROThe United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is rolling out a breakthrough Biometric Identity Management System (BIMS) that rapidly registers, de-duplicates and verifies the identities of refugees, ensuring that the right people receive assistance where and when they need it.

OPPORTUNITYUNHCR faced a key operational challenge: how to quickly and accurately identify a constantly changing population of forcibly displaced people in its refugee camps worldwide, often near war-torn regions. The agency had experimented with different biometric tools. To better manage its global refugee population, UNHCR recognized that it needed a standardized, integrated solution with a centralized data base for identity management. The tool would enable the agency’s 7600 employees to improve protection and support for an estimated 33.9 million refugees in 125 countries as they move across borders.

With a comprehensive biometric identity management system,

UNHCR could more easily register, verify identity and target assistance for refugees across its worldwide operations. The new system had to meet three objectives: rapidly determine what benefits and services a person needs; secure identities; and improve documentation to help longtime refugees find permanent solutions.

UNHCR selected Accenture in 2013 to design and build a breakthrough biometrics system. It turned to Accenture because of its vendor-independent solution—the Unique Identity Service Platform (UISP), which creates a single identity for each individual in a population. Accenture also offered experienced biometric teams and a proven record for global biometrics implementations that deliver public service for the future.

SOLUTIONCollaborating closely with UNHCR, in just six weeks Accenture configured a pilot Biometric Identity Management System using its UISP software, tailored to the agency’s unique needs. The

technology captures and stores fingerprints, iris data and facial images of individuals, providing undocumented refugees with their only personal identity record. Because it uses several biometric modalities, BIMS is more inclusive and accurate in matching an identity and de-duplicating multiple enrollment attempts.

To meet UNHCR needs, the biometrics system had to be durable (able to withstand rugged field conditions such as extreme heat, dust and humidity), always on (capable of working continuously working through power and connectivity outages), and user friendly since operators in refugee camps frequently change and have widely varying technology experience.

The integrated biometric identity management tool incorporates fingerprint, iris and facial capture and recognition technology from different vendors, including WCC Smart Search & Match, Green Bit, GenKey, Warwick Warp, IriTech, SmartSensors and Cognitec. BIMS was designed to work in conjunction with the agency’s existing case management

system, linking verification stations in local UNHCR offices and refugee camps to a central biometric database in Geneva.

Accenture and UNHCR put an early version BIMS to the test during a four-week pilot at the agency’s Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi. The Camp’s more than 17,000 refugees were rapidly registered and verified during the pilot.

Once fully launched, the technology will allow UNHCR offices around the world to identify refugees using face, iris and fingerprint recognition. The system provides UNHCR with the flexibility to deploy it locally or remotely in high-risk areas, with Accenture’s worldwide presence providing support.

RESULTSAfter reviewing the results of the trial in Malawi and implementing the necessary customization and improvements, UNHCR started rolling out BIMS globally in 2015. The deployment began in Thailand where 120,000 refugees were registered over a three- month period, and it expanded into Chad to help enroll the nation’s large refugee population-- 450,000 individuals in 19 camps. The innovative solution gives the agency an affordable management tool that is fast, intuitive, secure, durable, easy-to-use and adapts to varied and challenging environments. These capabilities allow UNHCR to speed benefits to refugees, while reducing the number of

duplicate identities and promoting the relocation of refugees from camps.

BIMS has quickly delivered impressive outcomes:

• Enrolled over 120,000 refugees living in 9 camps in Thailand in three months, ordered by family groups, nationality and family size, processing an average of 3,000 enrollments a day at its peak. • Enrolled over 100,000 refugees to date in Chad, at a pace of about 2,500 enrollments a day.• Captured ten fingerprints, two iris images and a face photo for most individuals. • Enabled ration card delivery to enrolled and verified families.

The central global database stores fingerprint, iris and face photo information for manual identification and facial recognition. The solution includes various improvements tailored to UNHCR’s needs, including an emergency feature to aid rapid registration of populations in advance of full registration, vital for refugees without IDs, as well as an ability to operate a local biometrics database that synchronises with the central global database for sites with limited bandwidth or intermittent connectivity.

“After reviewing the results of the trial in Malawi and making recommendations for improvements, we are moving forward and deploying a single global biometrics system for the

agency that is fast, intuitive, secure, mobile and durable in varied and challenging environments.” said Doug Greene, UNHCR's chief information officer. “We have now initiated a global roll-out of the system commencing in Thailand and Chad.”

For refugees, the system gives them a permanent identity record. “I can be someone now,” explained one Chadian refugee. “I am registered globally with the UN and you’ll always know whoI am.”

By teaming with Accenture, the UNHCR is delivering public service for the future-- improved help and protection for refugees in crisis.

ABOUT ACCENTUREAccenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 323,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$30.0 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2014. www.accenture.com.

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