Tracing the Untraceable: New Technologies that Monitor Displaced Persons and the History of Population Control
24.May.2021 9:00 AM . 10 min read
For the 30 million refugees in the world today, a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ID Card is a golden ticket to food, shelter, education, and cash, all provided by the helping hand of the international community. In addition, these ID cards initiate the process of applying for asylum or resettlement. What does it cost to earn one of these extraordinary documents? Only the rights to your own photograph, iris scans, fingerprints, personal and family history, health data, and all available prior legal documentation. According to a 2020 UN Report, over 37 million refugees had indeed given up this information and been registered with the UN’s Biometric Identity Management System (BIMS).