Using blockchain tech to solve refugee problem: The Finland experience

An asylum seeker in Finland with a MONI card.
Image Source

Blockchain tech with its disruptive technology has a lot of benefits for those in the business world especially and now in the social media world with steemit leading the way. But to use it to solve issues related to refugee matters is something worth my time. As we all know, refugees entering any country face a whole lot of challenges especially in area of authenticating their true identity. However, Finland recorded yet another first by introducing an innovative way to solve this problem.

Interestingly, an article posted by William Suberg, of Cointelegraph titled " Finland Solves Refugee Identity with Blockchain Debit Cards" gave a detailed insight below;

Image source

Finland has said it has “solved” the problem of refugee identity, using the Blockchain to record data of new residents.
As part of its commitment to support asylum seekers, Finland is providing arrivals with a prepaid debit card instead of cash, and linking the identity of cardholders to the Blockchain.
As Technology Review reports, quoting Finnish Immigration Service director Jouko Salonen, the issue of “strongly authenticated identity” is no longer a problem.
“We have found a way to solve that,” he told the publication.
The cards are the product of local startup MONI, and function more like a bank account replacement than a simple payment device.
In issuing them, Finnish authorities are able to track both spending and identity with the added benefit that the Blockchain data is immutable.
“Our purpose has always been financial inclusion, and especially to help people in developing countries,” MONI CEO Antti Pennanen added.
A cross-Europe effort to solve the problem of refugee identity is currently a topic of debate for the European Parliament.
A task force is looking into the options for using the Ethereum Blockchain to alleviate the problem, with the latest information showing an allocation of €850,000 ($1 mln) for 2017 having been half spent.
“[...] EU governments in partnerships with other countries and organizations (e.g. NGOs) need innovative solutions to manage increasing flows of migrants and their temporary stay in different countries,” the organization commented last month.”
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From the above, it is evident that blockchain with its disruptive technology is a game changer in many ways as such this innovative approach by Finland should be emulated by other countries. This to me will solve a lot of identity issues faced by refugees and reduce infiltration of bad eggs who give genuine refugees a bad name.

Do you agree that blockchain is offering the world many benefits including refugees and should be emulated by other countries? Send in your comments. Do resteem and please upvote if you like this post and follow for more.

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