Fatal Refugee Journeys
Stanford University, Spring 2016
Problem Statement
The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration lack data on refugee flows, particularly the missing and perished, preventing efficient policy and strategy decisions and limiting resource allocation.
Problem Scoping and Discovery
The team conducted 88 discovery interviews with forensics agents, first responders, and the families of of refugees. They found that detailed data on refugee movement does not exist, so they would need to find a way to generate that data.
They also found that only smugglers and the refugees themselves had exact knowledge of refugee movement, and that refugees are very wary of what data they share and with whom; so a simple solution would be ideal.
Solution Proposed
The team proposed a wristbands as means to record a refugee’s identity and family contact information, similar to a dog tag. The wristband is tamper proof and waterproof, so in the unfortunate event that a refugee perishes, forensic agents can connect with the refugee’s family.