Library:
Madrid
Paris Champerret
Paris Montparnasse
London
Berlin
Turin
The quest toward a more inclusive and robust digital identity system has become of crucial
importance as, in an increasingly digitized society, access to essential services and
participation in economic and social activities depend heavily on secure and reliable
identification. In particular, the humanitarian sector is increasingly adopting digital
technologies to enhance the speed, efficiency, and safety of their identification systems. An
emerging identity management paradigm called Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) could respond
to this demand by enabling users to have full ownership and control over their digital
identities.
Through a review of existing literature, the collection of primary data from interviews with
professionals in the field of interest, and an exploration of a pioneering project of
decentralized identity (Worldcoin/World ID), this thesis assesses the extent to which an SSI
meets the needs of various stakeholders in the humanitarian sector.
Findings indicate that World ID has the potential to address current challenges affecting
digital identity systems, but significant barriers remain for its successful adoption and
implementation. World ID has been shown to be beneficial in terms of privacy and data
autonomy; however, the system still presents drawbacks around biometric data risks, possible
coercion via financial incentives, and compliance with regulations. This research contributes
to the discourse on digital identity by providing a practical evaluation of SSI within the
context of humanitarian aid.
