UNHCR partners with Arm to unleash tech to help transform refugees’ lives 

In an increasingly volatile, uncertain and complex world, refugees and forcibly displaced families around the world face significant challenges, from a lack of access to health, education and support services to the risk of a changing climate.

To solve these complex displacement challenges, Cambridge-headquartered technology leader Arm and UK for UNHCR have announced a new two-year partnership agreement. Arm will provide technical and capacity-building support to UNHCR’s Innovation Service, in addition to a generous grant.

Hovig Etyemezian, UNHCR’s Innovation Service Director, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Arm to creatively solve some of the most complex challenges facing refugees and forcibly displaced people.

“Arm’s expertise in the foundational computing technologies powering everything from sensors to smartphones to supercomputers, along with the funds donated, will provide crucial support to the Innovation Service’s work to address problems facing refugees, forcibly displaced, and stateless persons.”

UNHCR’s Innovation Service works to ensure that staff are equipped with the knowledge, resources and skills to create value for people forced to flee using novel ideas. It also ensures that the agency’s humanitarian response is fit for the future.

Moreover, the Service’s work covers a range of areas, including digital inclusion, data, artificial intelligence, environmental resilience and refugee-led innovation. There are various projects under each area, which aim to enhance social, economic, educational, environmental and health benefits for displaced people and host communities around the world.

“At Arm, we believe that technology has the potential to build a better world for everyone,” said Will Abbey, senior vice president, sales and partner enablement at Arm.

“The tech sector has a significant role to play in building, supporting and deploying solutions that can help address many of the world’s critical environmental and social issues. This new partnership with UNHCR is an important milestone in our commitment to helping to deliver sustainable, inclusive and equitable solutions that serve global communities and help to close the digital divide, as well as enabling and empowering others to create their own solutions.”

The Digital inclusion fund is a key part of UNHCR’s Innovation Service. ©UNHCR

Emma Cherniavsky, Chief Executive of UK for UNHCR, said: “We are truly thankful to Arm for their generous donation and this partnership. Together with Arm, we will work to address problems facing refugees in new ways and ensure UNHCR’s humanitarian response is tailored to the needs of the future.”

Through this new partnership, the Arm will provide financial and technical support to UNHCR’s Innovation Service via the UN Refugee Agency’s national charity partner in the UK, UK for UNHCR.

Side by side, Arm and UNHCR will work to accelerate the development of new technologies that help the most vulnerable people across the world.

To read more about the new partnership, please visit this web page.