Symposium on Cybersecurity and Data Protection in Humanitarian Action | 2° edition

For the past decades, humanitarian organizations have had to adapt to and deal with rapid changes in our technology landscape. Digital technologies in particular carry various promises of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian support. However, they also entail risks that humanitarians and their partners need to be prepared to mitigate.

Like for the first edition of the Symposium in 2022, we are inviting key stakeholders from humanitarian organizations, governments, data protection authorities, cyber security agencies, the private sector, civil society and academia. The objective is to examine a number of legal, policy and technical challenges raised by the digitalization and digital transformation of humanitarian action and contexts.

The three days of the Symposium* will unfold as follows:

• January 23: Cyber range exercise simulating a cyber operation against a humanitarian organization, and the response thereof;
• January 24: Opening session, closed-door expert working groups, with focused discussions covering pressing challenges for the humanitarian sector in the area of data protection and cybersecurity;
• January 25: Close-door working groups (continued), wrap-up panel discussions and closing session.

The close-door expert working groups will take place under Chatham House Rule. The objective is to encourage an open and frank exchange on the key issues on the agenda, and to identify possible solutions.

For a sample of the topics that are expected to be tackled on this occasion, you can check out the recent call for briefing papers issued in connection with the forthcoming Symposium.

 * the full agenda can be visualized in the booklet available on this page.

Co-organized by:

Additional Materials:

2024 Symposium Information Booklet

2024_symposium_information_booklet.pdf

2024 Symposium Briefing Papers

2024_symposium_briefing_papers.pdf