Forum for innovation in humanitarian payments

This forum convenes a stakeholder dialogue on humanitarian fund transfer challenges and collective solutions harnessing digital payment technologies and innovative policy action.

The forum is unique in convening otherwise-siloed actors addressing financial access challenges through innovation in complex regulatory and humanitarian environments. Core members include non-governmental organisations, financial and technology sectors, international organizations and governments. Central to our work is the inclusion of bottom-up, community-driven voices, including from diaspora communities. 

Through discussion, research and awareness-raising, the forum aims to assist in the safe and legally compliant transfer of humanitarian payments to vulnerable communities in poorly banked jurisdictions through careful and considered use of innovative technologies.  It combines a focus on global challenges and country-specific scenarios.

Financial access challenges

A growing number of countries around the world face severe financial access challenges, driven by rising risk aversion among financial institutions, in light of the complexity of the international compliance landscape, cost considerations and reputational concerns.

This worsening phenomenon impedes the timely transfer of humanitarian funds, migrant remittances and support to refugees, prompting the UN, IMF, World Bank and G20 to urge for urgent solutions. Similarly, international NGOs have described payment challenges as a leading obstacle to humanitarian assistance today. 

Financial exclusion also has national security implications, as it can serve as a driver of new armed conflicts,  human rights abuses, poverty, extremist ideologies and gender inequality. In spite of these risks, global and national initiatives over the past decade have not succeeded in stemming financial access barriers.

Our solution: Forum for innovation in humanitarian payments

Our experience shows that there is a significant disconnect and knowledge gap among relevant actors, hindering innovation uptake.

For this reason, we have established a platform to foster trust, build capacity and create opportunities for collaboration across diverse sectors. Our aim is to allow for the identification, formulation and piloting of policy- and innovation-based solutions for pressing financial access issues in areas of marked humanitarian needs. 

Beyond addressing general challenges, the forum will be in a position to mobilise swiftly in response to unforeseen challenges.

Who is for forum for?

  • Not-for-profit Organisations

  • Financial technology/ tech for good platforms

  • Representatives of financially excluded communities

  • Banks and other financial institutions

  • International organisations

  • Governments, including regulators and donors

  • Experts

Interested in getting involved? Reach out to us using the contact form below, and we'll get back to you shortly.

Forum objectives:

1. Empower stakeholder and community engagement on innovation in humanitarian payments

2. Improve awareness, knowledge exchange and collaboration between policy, finance and tech organisations

3. Foster trust, build capacity and further evidence-based research into use cases

4. Support diverse and robust humanitarian payment innovation networks and solutions

Meet the Team

  • Dr. Erica Moret

    FORUM DIRECTOR

  • Sandra Uwantege Hart

    SENIOR ADVISOR, HUMANITARIAN TECH

  • Jamilah Bahay

    STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIST