[HNPW 2025] Bridging the gap, how to prevent a two tier humanitarian data system

This conference was organized by CartONG on March 26th, 2025, as part of the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week in Geneva and remotely. The humanitarian and international development data ecosystem has evolved rapidly, with NGOs and international organizations embedding Information Management functions and adopting innovations like Artificial Intelligence. However, recent geopolitical shifts, including the closure of USAID programs and increasing tensions in global power dynamics, have exposed significant vulnerabilities in the system. Major humanitarian organizations and data platforms are struggling to maintain operations, while reliance on US Big Tech solutions is being questioned. Calls from the Global South for data decolonization are growing louder, highlighting concerns over data sovereignty and ethics. These changes exacerbate existing divisions in the ecosystem, with some actors able to meet demands for compliance, accountability, and innovation, while others—especially local actors and smaller NGOs—are increasingly marginalized due to resource constraints. In its recent study, "Beyond the Numbers: Balancing Innovation, Ethics, and Impact - an updated panorama of the data practices and needs of CSOs/NGOs" CartONG explores how factors like resource scarcity, rising accountability demands, and cybersecurity risks are deepening this gap. This panel will examine these growing disparities, focusing on localization, accountability to affected populations, and strategies for overcoming challenges such as funding cuts, sustainable technologies, and the relationship with Big Tech. We will conclude with CartONG’s recommendations and discuss collaborative initiatives aimed at ensuring that data technology fulfills its potential for all actors in the humanitarian ecosystem.