(Online) A Conversation with Hugo Slim: Warfare, Civilians and Humanitarians in the Twenty-First Century

In his new book ‘Solferino 21: Warfare, Civilians and Humanitarians in the Twenty-First Century’, Hugo Slim looks at warfare and humanitarian aid as it is today and as it is likely to evolve in the next ten years. Slim argues that humanitarian aid has become increasingly ambitious, complicated, expensive and utopian, and that humanitarians must adapt or risk failing on their core mission of saving lives. One key aspect of next generation warfare and the ways in which humanitarians may rise to the challenges facing us is the role of data and technology in crises.

The OCHA Centre for Humanitarian Data is hosting a conversation with Slim to unpack the key challenges he identifies in his book and explore how they relate to the way humanitarians can use data and technology to deliver better, simpler aid to populations in crisis.

The conversation will explore the following questions:

• What are the trends shaping next generation warfare and how will these trends change the way civilians and humanitarians experience and respond to crises?
• How has the assessment of humanitarian need evolved and what are the implications for humanitarian response in an increasingly digitized world?
• What are the major ethical concerns around integrating new technology and data science (especially artificial intelligence and automation) into humanitarian action?
• How might humanitarians ensure meaningful ethical deliberation on the use of data and technology as they respond to increasingly complex crises?

Your host is Stuart Campo, Data Responsibility Lead at the Centre for Humanitarian Data.