At present, we live in a very confusing and changing social reality. Many conflicts of all kinds are taking place; whether ethnic, social, economic, racial or warlike, all of them generate a common evil: migration.

This issue presents great challenges to the states to be able to attend and protect the millions of displaced people that day by day are fleeing from these social events, thus presenting a challenge to the nations to be able to control such migratory flow, receive them, protect them and guarantee their rights; men, women, children and elderly people move without an apparent control and without personal identification, nor a resume that can be used to know who is entering this or that territory.

But this challenge does not have to be eternal or leave the most unprotected, the migrants, helpless, because there is already a technological tool that can give them secure, reliable, private and verifiable access to their background. This can be improved with the use of blockchain technology. Think about it... According to the UN, there are more than 260 million migrants in the world (and growing). This is a huge number itself.

Now, technology would help governments to control this mass of people, without violating individual rights, by having the opportunity to verify online, without hindrance or bureaucracy, the life history of each individual. For this, it is necessary for nations to promote the use of blockchain technology among their citizens so that by having a decentralized registry, this information can be obtained in real-time, with the prior authorization of each person.

When you are a migrant, and even more so when you are forced, it is necessary to be able to move with private, protected and portable information. This is offered by the blockchain, which is why it becomes a tool that will provide many benefits to those who carry it. Now, think about those organizations and foundations that usually help and provide aid in these times; many of them, if not all, need collaborations between citizens to be able to grant such aid. Sometimes, many people avoid giving help, either because of anonymity, not being able to transact in the currency of another country, high interbank commissions or loss of money in bureaucratic procedures or acts of corruption (it is estimated that more than 30% is lost in these events). Perhaps you have felt this way, you have wanted to help, but these limitations or others have prevented you from doing so. Well, we tell you that the blockchain is the solution to this, since it would be a direct transfer between you and whoever receives it, quickly, immediately, securely and privately.

Details to take into account

          However, as with any technological boom there are also risks in them, scams and blackmail are at the order of the day. Policies or mechanisms should be established to ensure that those who declare themselves to be migrants for one of the initial reasons, really are migrants. That NGOs or aid foundations are internationally supported as such and are verifiable; that is why it is necessary to establish mechanisms that help to lay the foundations for people to have access to blockchain technology, to massify it and make it an integral part of events such as these.

With all of the above, it is concluded that there are more benefits and facilities for all those involved in situations of a migratory nature through the use of technology such as blockchain. It is secure, fast, private and reliable for the migrant. It is also safe, fast, and reliable for the aid agencies and, finally, for the host nations, by being able to establish and verify the identity and life of each migrant received.

For all these reasons, there is nothing left but to encourage and support those who wish to promote the use of blockchain as a tool to help migrants and support families in such difficult times. There is a great challenge, but the solution is already there.

Irving Arrieta