Organization and governance in the era of digital humanitarianism

17/04/2014

Humanitarian Affairs is seeing the emergence of “digital humanitarians”, often referred to as Volunteer & Technical Communities (V&TCs), who are harnessing new technologies to bridge the gap between affected populations and responding agencies. Historically volunteerism and technology have been major drivers of innovation within the sector and modern V&TCs have the potential to revolutionize it again. However, because these networks are often nebulous and ill-defined, formal humanitarian organizations are struggling to integrate and collaborate effectively. To ensure this innovation has a positive impact, appropriate governance, engagement from both sides, and a neutral interface such as the Digital Humanitarian Network will be needed.