1. Team 621
Fatal Journey: Improving Data on Missing or Perished Refugees
TEAM
Anton Apostolatos [Software]
Leonard Bronner [Data]
Asad Khaliq [Product]
Quentin Perrot [Research]
SPONSOR & MENTOR
Bureau of Population, Refugees,
and Migration [Lyric Doolan, Rebecca Alvarado
and Evan Stewart]
Paul Narain
10INTERVIEWS
COMPLETED
TOTAL: 77
DESCRIPTION
Improving data on missing and perished refugees. Bridging the gap between local
authorities and families of deceased refugees in order to provide families with
information about their loved ones. This will strengthen the bonds of family and
community and instilling humanitarian advocacy and respect for the dignity of life.
3. Customer Discovery
Hypothesis 1
Migrants across different routes are (a) willing to supply multiple
pieces of data beyond just a phone number and (b) will use a
smartphone to do so
(migrants & families)
Experiments - Asked Refugees what type of data they would be
willing to supply. And more importantly, asked them whether
they would be willing to supply date of births. Furthermore, we
presented them with a method of doing so by smartphone
application.
Samuel [Refugee]
Jamal [Refugee]
Ali [Refugee]
Hazim [REACH]
Results - All the refugees we talked to said they would be more
than willing to supply additional information if it made sure that
their families know they had perished. This information included
date birth. However, refugees fear that smartphones may be
stolen or confiscated by smugglers.
Action - It is crucial for us to find out what information the local
authorities want and need in order to contact the families.
Hypothesis 2
Existing Red Cross and Red Crescent structure will let us easily
deploy our potential solution.
(law enforcement, ICRC, ICMP)
Federica Riccardi [ICRC]
Morris Tidball - Binz [ICRC]
Palantir Employee [Palantir]
Tamara Last [Deaths at European Borders Database]
Experiments - We talked to a number of people working on
deploying different solutions for refugees and how they could
help us with that.
Results - The local Red Cross and Red Crescent chapters are in
fact generally independent of the ICRC, they are autonomous.
While they often execute on combined projects (e.g. trace the
face), we will need buy in from these separately.
Action - Talk to local Red Cross and Red Crescent chapters for
deployment. Work with the ICRC for for buy-in to pressure local
governments to make local authorities use the data.
5. Critical Activities: Detailed
Time
Guidemakers and influencers
Convince these groups and their leaders to disseminate information on our product
Buy-In: Motivated intrinsically by helping migrants and refugees
ICRC and ICMP
Get ICRC and ICMP buy-in to use their local chapters to put pressure on local authorities
Buy-In: Part of their missions
Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights
Council of Europe to put pressure on Greek and Italian governments to make it official
policy to identify bodies
Pressure Italy to expand the role of Special Commissioner
Pressure Greece to create an independent commission
Buy-In: Already happening. Council of Europe is already focused on this.
US Embassies in Italy and Greece
Put pressure on local governments to convince local authorities to use the
data we provide
Buy-In: Need ICRC and ICMP backing to show that it is worthwhile
Local Red Cross chapters
Distribute bracelets to people wanting to start
their journey
Buy-In: Need ICRC buy-in to create a
transorganizational project
Acquire bracelets and sharpies
Cost: Sharpies: $0.375, Bracelets: $0.19
Day 1 - ∞
Day 15 - 300
Day 1 - ∞
Day 100 - 300
Day 100 - 300
Day 60 - ∞
Legend
Resource Deployment
Lobbying/Support
6. Key Partners and Critical Resources
Partner/Resource Example What they provide Why they do it
Suppliers (tools) AliExpress,
Wholesalers
● Sharpies -- $0.37 / piece (multi-use)
● Bracelets -- $0.19 / piece (single use)
$$$, branding
Local Red Cross National Societies
(e.g. Sudan)
● Distribution of information via pamphlets, social media
● Distribution of markers / bracelets
● Act as intermediary between families and local
authorities
Part of their mission to help
reconnect migrants/families --
ideally need ICRC buy-in to create
transorganizational initiative
Coast Guards
Humanitarian Fleet
MSF / MOAS /
SeaWatch / Save the
Children
● Pick up bodies
● Transfer to forensics/local authorities
Already follow this procedure
Forensics ICRC / Local
Authorities /
Hospitals
● Transfer phone numbers / DOB to local authorities
● Transfer cleaned data (e.g. country of origin) to
authorities
Frustrated by missing link between
bodies and families, waste of
resources on DNA/isotopic testing
Local Authorities Greek Police / Italian
Police
● Contact and inform families
○ May need:
■ Translators
■ Ethical/psychological training
● Proof of Death Process
○ Collect information from families via ICRC
○ Transfer information to prosecutor
Public and policy pressure,
humanitarian advocacy
7. Notes for each Mission Model Canvas section are
in the “slide notes” section
Key Partners Key Activities
Key Resources
Value Propositions Buy-in & Support Beneficiaries/Stakeholders
Deployment
Mission Budget / Costs Mission Achievement / Success Factors
Greek Coast Guard, Greek
Police, Italian Police
Humanitarian Fleet: MSF,
MOAS, SeaWatch
Large NGOs: UNHCR, Doctors
of the World, ICRC, Local Red
Cross Chapters, ICMP
Frontex (Operation Triton),
NATO Operation Endeavor,
EU’s NAVFORMED (Operation
Sophia)
PRM: Western Hemisphere
Office,
US Embassy Officials in Italy
and Greece (Brian Bedsworth)
Refugee support groups and
guidemakers
National Ministries of the Interior
What problem?
For refugees and their families:
Refugees are unable to know what
happened to their families
For Trace the Face:
Part of the ICRC’s mission is to connect
people with their families, but currently it
is being asymmetrically served by only
allowing survivors to find value in their
service
For IOM, UNHCR:
Accurate, reliable data on where
refugees come from mission statements
+ strategic/policy planning)
Local Forensics Agents
Not able to identify bodies easily
because lack of prior knowledge about
deceased.
Value?
This will allow organizations to contact the next
of kin of the deceased. Refugees will achieve
closure about what happened to their families.
Trace the face will piggy-back off buy-in with
local authorities and be able to assist in
serving those who have passed away as well.
IOM will use the information that is gained
through friends and family in order to update
their database. For forensics agents, this data
makes it easy to identify bodies.
Families of Refugees
(Eastern Med. and
Central Med. Routes)
Tracing Department
(ICRC): Kirsty McDonald,
Federica Riccardi
IOM: Leonard Doyle, Julia
Black
UNHCR: Iosto Ibba,
Guido Vittorio
Local Forensics Agents:
Penelope Miniati
Convincing refugees of additional benefit of
working with us
Convincing local authorities to use the
information to contact next of kin.
Provide bracelets to local red cross chapters
Get buy-in from international organizations and
local authorities to put pressure on local
authorities.
Updating information on missing refugees (IOM,
ICRC and people looking: NGOs, refugees)
Communicating with families in a respectful and
ethical manner
Buy-in from refugees will be achieved through
guide makers, who will influence the refugees
and word of mouth.
Buy in for local forensics office and local
police will be achieved through pressure from
NGOs, the Council of Europe onto Ministries
of the Interior that force the local authorities to
act.
IOMs Missing Migrants Project
ICRC Trace the Face database
UNHCR: Syria Regional Refugee
Response database
Forensics agent resources (time)
Bracelets
Sharpies
Garner adoption from refugees through informal
social networks and guidemakers
Garner adoption from refugees using on-the-ground
influence of the ICRC, after creating support via
whitepaper publication
Use ICMP/ICRC support to achieve government buy-
in from State Department and Council of Europe
Use government support to create pressure on local
authorities to use data found on bodies
Deploy resources (pens, bracelets) on-the-ground
through the ICRC
Use ICRC sponsorship to incentivize local authorities
to use data
Mission Achievement: Has connected with a friend or family member thought lost or has received the information that a
friend or family member has passed away. (1) To provide an in-depth analysis of available data on migrant deaths, and more
specifically, collect more accurate “Country Source” data and (2) to update the challenges the community identifying/tracing
missing migrants faces to be shared with other crisis regions. Reconnect family links. Identify corpses more accurately, more
quickly and more cheaply - in complete accordance with laws
Metrics: Indicator variable whether knows if friends or family is dead, number of missing migrants with correct country /
number of missing migrants, Number of families reconnected, time and money spent per identification, identified migrants /
total dead migrants seen
The budget comes from organizations that are on the ground (NGOs, UNHCR)
but also from other beneficiaries such as the State Dept. and European
Governments
Data capture and information retrieval
Data capture hardware, servers, initial awareness and distribution
Local authorities
Guidemakers
First responders on the water
(MSF, Moas, Coast guards):
Miriam Lafferty, Mark Gordon
8. MVP Evolution
Phone numbers written on bracelets
Phone numbers written on t-shirts
Inspiration
There is a missing link b/w local authorities and
migrant families/communities
[T-shirts apply to a smaller population size, preservation in water
is riskier, less standardized]
Phone numbers and additional
identifying information (name, DOB) on
bracelets
[Local authorities need threshold amount of data to determine
family/community to be valid]
Family-verifying and identifying information on
water & tamper proof NGO-sponsored bracelets
[Usage of data by local authorities influenced by influential
sponsor support]
UID 2.0
9. MVP: UID Bracelets v2.0
Remaining Problems
Incentivize wide-scale adoption: Promise to contact family in case of
death is not enough
Proof of death is what is actually required. This could be
accomplished with a death certificate.
MigrantsAuthoritiesFamilies
Process
SMS/WA a bot service with
identifying personal info,
receive Case Number (CN)
Inscribe CN
on bracelet
Family receives CN through
number given by trip-taker
Migrant Dies
Body found
and
collected
Contact family
members; use CN to
verify validity of link
Contacted by
authorities; uses CN to
verify authenticity
Receives
CoD and
closure
Prosecutor
releases CoD
Migrant
Survives
Deletes information from
system; removes bracelet
Required Features
Alerting families of safety upon arrival using private
case number
(1) Create online exchange system; or (2) use the
IFRC local chapters to exchange documents and
facilitate communication using the case number
How exchange occurs depends on fidelity need
of documents
Send personalized
message to families using
case number
National
Societies
Receive important
documentation from
families and start
CoD development
Submit needed
certificates via system
or national societies
Transfer documents to
local authorities
Submit CoD
to online
system or
ICRC
Transfer
CoD to
families
11. Products &
Services
Gain Creators
Pain Relievers
Gains
Pains
Customer Jobs
Migrant
● Fear of death
● Uncertainty of
communication with friends
& family
● Get across the
Mediterranean
to safety
● Make sure their
family knows of
their fate
● Assurance that family
members will have closure
(partial/complete) in the
event of their death
● Families will be
contacted by local
authorities, based
on data provided
by migrants that
are found as
deceased
● Local authorities reach out to
family members, giving
migrants the peace of mind
that their families will know
their fate
● Knowledge that family will be
notified in case they perish during
journey
● Possibility of family receiving proof
of death in order to be able to move
on
Samuel, Eritrean 22 year-old, who crossed the Mediterranean and is waiting on his brother and fiance join him
● Sufficiently motivated to try and escape a zone of conflict or persecution, despite unclear potential for success and no assurances of safety
● Often using all or most of their wealth as a last ditch effort to ensure safety, all-or-nothing approach
● Incredibly practical and able to adapt to new situations quickly
● Uses personal network to understand how to pursue Mediterranean crossing
● No freedom of movement under smuggler control; has no access to phones, with minimal contact with family across months
● Does not speak the language of the countries they are embarking from (in transit phase) or the country they are travelling to
12. Products &
Services
Gain Creators
Pain Relievers
Gains
Pains
Customer Jobs
Migrants’ Families
● Uncertainty of the stages of
transit, with no guarantees of
safety
● Uncertainty of communication
with friends & family
● No way of knowing what future
awaits them even if they reach
safer shores, or how they will be
processed
● Assured transit from
conflict to safety
● Keeping family &
friends while travelling
● Ensuring quality of life
upon arrival to a safer
region through
personal networks
● Ways to contact and stay in touch
with friends and family making the
journey alongside them
● Wanting family to know they are
safe when they are traveling.
● Higher potential for a smooth
resettlement and integration
● Families will be
contacted by local
authorities, based on
data provided by
members that are
found as deceased.
● Certainty and closure about family
member's passing.
● Receive the body of family members for
burial.
● Knowledge that family will be notified in
case something goes wrong on their
journey.
Samuel’s brother and fiance, who waited to hear from Samuel for months and are now waiting for legal authorization to join him
● Motivated to try and escape a zone of conflict or persecution, despite unclear potential for success and no assurances of safety
● Psychologically under significant stress
● Often using all or most of their wealth as a last ditch effort to ensure safety, all-or-nothing approach
● Often don’t speak the language of the country that they live in
● Close-knit family -- willing to risk their safety for the rest of the group, desire to know of family member’s fate
13. Products &
Services
Gain Creators
Pain Relievers
Gains
Pains
Customer Jobs
Local Forensics Agents (Morris Tidball-Binz, Penelope Miniati)
● Lack of communication with “the other
side” -- the families or loved ones of
refugees who they can connect with
forensics data to successfully match +
reconnect
● Have to work with local external
stakeholders such as fishermen to
inefficiently gather data on missing
migrants
● Successfully identify the
origin, identity, and
demographic of missing or
perished persons
● Connect results of
technology based forensics
with other data sources to
match + reconnect perished
persons
● Give authorities information
on origin and identity of
found persons
● Better collaboration with authorities,
who can now be provided with
contact details to link each body to
an origin/destination
● Better coordination with
stakeholders such as UNHCR, who
desire more accurate data on
incoming migrants● Direct phone or
communication line to
a deceased
individual’s family or
loved ones
● Easier information gathering, would
reduce necessity to talk to outside
stakeholders and provide greater certainty
of body’s identity
● Much simpler and easier connection with
deceased person’s family or loved ones
● Easily readable contact information on
body/clothing of perished persons
● Contact information can provide
demographic data to be shared with IOM,
UNHCR
Customer Archetypes
● Highly educated; undergraduate or graduate degree in science or forensic investigation as well as certification in the field
● Often graduated as a doctor
● Interested in human rights, humanitarian investigations
● They push for forensic anthropology and forensic medical sciences applied to humanitarian advocacy
14. Products &
Services
Gain Creators
Pain Relievers
Gains
Pains
Customer Jobs
ICRC Protection and Tracing Officers
● Local authorities lack the expertise, networks
and resources to increase chance of
identification
● There is a lack of interest; investigations
sometimes do not attempt to establish identity
when they are “irregular migrants”
● Compassion fatigue with death count rising
● Overcome the complex
nature of the search for
family members
● Collaboratively interface
with other organizations
on the ground (e.g. IOM
field agents) to address
inbound requests
● Make it as easy as
possible for family
looking for family to
publish their information
● Reconnect families with their
loves ones, even if that means
with their body
● Directly reach out to
families using
identifying information
● Easier method of identification
means ‘interest’ is irrelevant;
authorities pursue identification
regardless of migrant status
● Expertise is less important,
increasing rate of identification
● Connecting more refugees to their
families
Customer Archetypes
● Organization
○ ICRC mandate is to find + connect missing people and families
○ Facilitates migrants finding loved ones by collecting information about whether someone is
looking for you and allowing you to publish your photo + contact info
○ The organization must navigate strict data protection regulations in Europe
○ Work with the National Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to keep information on file
that is not allowed to be publicly retransmitted
● Personal
○ Workers typically have bachelor degrees and work experience,
>30 yrs old
○ Often speaks more than one official ICRC language
(English/French) such as Arabic
○ Very hands on approach to work. Needs to be able to interface
with families that are searching for missing people.
○ Emotionally stable -> due to complex nature of material
○ Want to collaborate with other stakeholders -> IOM and UNHCR
15. Products &
Services
Gain Creators
Pain Relievers
Gains
Pains
Customer Jobs
IOM and UNHCR Data Analysts
● Diverse data sources with varying
regularity and reliability (i.e. not
possible to ask the deceased.
Boats might completely disappear.)
● Extensive collaboration required
between field agents, data analysts,
and external stakeholders to verify
and collect data
● Collect accurate, reliable
data on migrant journeys
and missing/perished
migrants
● Publish reports based on
this data to fulfill
mandates and inform
policy, strategic decisions
● Use data to strengthen
humanitarian advocacy
● More data to inform strategy
and policy, and strengthen
humanitarian advocacy
● More data leading to higher
coverage of potentially
missing migrant population
● IOM and UNHCR
gets information
about deceased
refugees and where
they are from.
● If a boat has capsized and disappeared
without anyones knowledge. Then the
identification of bodies from those boats,
will allow for more complete information
for UNHCR and IOM.
● Sourced information from other connected
organizations who have data on missing
persons and growing their database to
produce more matches
● IOM and UNHCR will get some
personalized information from the
migrants that are found - for better
database.
Customer Archetypes
● Organization
○ IOM, UNHCR mandates to strengthen humanitarian advocacy
○ The organization must navigate strict data protection regulations in Europe
○ IOM mandate focus on data collection and provision
● Personal
○ Workers typically have bachelor degrees and work experience,
>25 yrs old
○ Need to be able to manage extensive lists of contacts, maintain
positive relationships with each and corroborate information
○ Emotionally stable -> due to complex nature of material
○ Want to collaborate with other stakeholders and each other
○ Comfort with a degree of uncertainty due to irregular nature of
work despite data/stats background which demands rigor
16. Refugees
DeadAlive
Guidemakers
Refugees family &
friends
NGO Forensics
ICRC
(Tidball-Binz)
ICMP
(Parsons)
NGO
ICRC
(Federica, Kirsty)
IOM
(Kelly, Tara)
UNHCR
(Guido, Iosto)
Local Authorities
Police ForensicsMaritime Authorities
FRONTEX Coast Guard
NATO OP.
ENDEAVOR
EU NAVFOR
MED
NGO Humanitarian Fleets
MSF STC
MOAS
(Sweetnam)
Ministry of the Interior
MRCC
Smugglers Saboteur
Gatekeeper
Critical buy-in
Pressure
Coordination
Direct order
DataDirectiveCooperation
Cooperation
Cooperation
Contact
Contact
Contact
Info
Contact
17. Timeline
1. Give Data
a. Spread solution through highest-degree nodes on Facebook/WhatsApp
b. Release white paper with data-backed recommendations publicly through Stanford’s Immigration Policy Lab (IPL)
c. ICMP discussion to get early support
d. ICRC discussion to potentially help disseminate solution through local on-the-ground chapters with high migrant-contact
e. Release materials (i.e. pamphlets) to ICRC chapters to be, request that they recommend solution broadly
f. Distribute water-proof permanent markers through ICRC channel at points of origin (refugee camps, areas of conflict)
g. ICRC discussion to acquire sponsorship for bracelet stage
h. Distribute water-proof bracelets through ICRC channel at points of origin
i. Last iteration: Digital UI to secure and legitimize family link
2. Use Data
a. Release white paper with data-backed recommendations publicly through Stanford’s Immigration Policy Lab (IPL)
b. ICMP/ICRC support