Mobile technology boosted aid operations in 2019, reported Reuters

A poll conducted by Thomson Reuters Foundation found mobile phones to have the biggest impact on aid operations in 2019 and drones and satellites have accelerated help to people in need. Technologies helped humanitarian groups assess needs accurately, respond to disasters faster, reach remote communities, and mitigate potential risks. Drones particularly have been reported for improving aid effectiveness, for example, in Vanuatu through delivering vaccines to children and in Namibia and Kazakhstan for delivering medical supplies to remote areas during natural disasters like earthquakes and floods. Mobiles open-source tools were also highlighted by CARE for transforming the collection and processing of information in disasters as a replacement of paper-based assessments. This, in turn, accelerates decision-making and supports the delivery of aid to the worst affected areas faster and respond quickly to changing needs. Technologies have also empowered minority and marginalised groups. For example, Girls Out Loud is an online platform developed by Plan International to secure private space for girls to discuss sexual health and gender violence.