Between pride and privilege – a question of identity
As nations struggle to find peace and progress within their borders, humans who are constantly in a state of flux, darting from place to place, must be uniquely identified for who they are and where they originate from, for overall development in a secure world. Thus, the sum of any country’s population is an advantage yet to be fully appreciated by many; and the real strength lies in the identity of the peoples as the real asset of nations. By MKPE ABANG
Who are you? Just three words; but very powerful words! This is the very first question that confronts us upon stepping outside of our immediate environment, our comfort zone. We must identify ourselves for our own self-worth, safety, for recognition, as a channel to gain access to wherever we intend to enter, to be accepted and thereby to be counted among others.
At ports of entry, at hospitals, at schools, on visits to public and private offices, at sport arena, to board a flight, in some countries even on the streets, the question is always repeated: who are you? It may be asked in various forms; but it remains the same. Thus, it is demanded of us to identify ourselves; at that time, one form of identification or the other becomes necessary depending on the environment.
But what if in all this, one simple identification document suffices? Although this is already the case in various countries in the Europe, the United States and much of Asia, in most countries in Africa however, this is still a dream too far to be realised.
The crucial issue at the centre of this equally very important question is identity.
Thus, in very simple terms: our identity is our most prized possession, our most valuable asset; it is our everything, without which we are actually nobody. We are only who we are because of our identity. This is a very simple fact that it is interesting that countries are also called advanced because they recognise the importance of identity and accord it that much respect, such that it is practically impossible for one to claim to be another – and get away with it.
As a result, it is not just enough to have an identity, any identity; but verifiable and authenticated identity. From fingerprints to the eyes, from the blood or DNA to the voice, there is so much that has been taken into consideration to identify each person as a unique entity. With biometric therefore, and authenticated through the electronic system by an authorised identity management authority, each individual’s uniqueness is captured in a database that can becomes accessible and verifiable anywhere in the world especially in today’s electronic dominated world.
It is no longer amazing therefore that once a crime is committed, through various agents – from fingerprints to saliva, to sweat, to blood sample, law enforcement agents easily name the suspects in those countries where the process of data capturing and proper identity management have been centrally verified and located.
Also, it is easy to ascertain the number of persons at scenes of disaster soon after it might have occurred; whereas, in the absence of such a database, all that rescue teams do at such scenes is guess work.
So it is not enough for anyone to say who he or she is; it goes beyond that. To authenticate one’s personality, one form of identity or the other is a prerequisite.
In Nigeria, citizens are required at various turns to fill forms to show their places of birth, local government and state of origin; all in an effort to authenticate their identity. Going further, they are issued all manners of documents, which, in future upon request, must be presented.
Many politicians, for instance, have been known to lose certain elections or the opportunity to represent one area or the other owing to questionable identity or identity documents. While some have been caught to have presented fake or improper documents, such as birth certificates, others have been found to possess age declarations at multiple times each one different from the others. All this is possible because Nigeria still suffers from a lack of a central database where citizens’ data have been captured, verified, authenticated and stored as obtains in many countries in Europe, Asia as well as the United States.
Importance of identity for Development
Globally, there is growing recognition of the importance of identification for sustainable development. For instance, the role identity plays is recognised formally in target 16.9 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which calls for providing “legal identity for all, including through birth registration” by 2030. Identification is also an enabler of many other development targets, from social protection (delivering support) to financial inclusion (opening bank or mobile accounts and establishing a credit record) to women’s empowerment.
Identity as bedrock of all development
Thus, having a recognised identity is crucial for achieving several development outcomes, more so for developing countries like Nigeria, no expense should be spared in ensuring that citizens are captured hence having a centralised database managed by a national institution charged with the responsibility. Identity is indeed, the foundation stone upon which all other parts of the structure will rest,
As experience in many countries have shown, all other security agencies rely on information from the identity system to perform their functions flawlessly and seamlessly; thus, identification is accorded a higher pride of place including special budgeting to ensure the identity management lacks no funds in the execution of its responsibilities, much the same as the countries budget adequately for the military, the police and all other social institutions of the state.
Whether as a tool for security through which terrorism and influx of illegal aliens can be fought, whether as a tool for taxation where each unique unit becomes taxable entity, whether as a channel for accessing social welfare by citizens, identity is indeed the most valuable asset that countries cherish and hold dear. Nigeria will be doing well to follow the same line in budgeting adequately to have a credible identity system where every citizen is captured and has the unique number.
Identity is essential to realising political and social rights and to participate in a modern economy. Indeed, a well-functioning ID system can strengthen state capacity and reduce corruption and waste by making programmes and subsidies more effective and transparent.
Effective identification, including for remote and electronic transactions, can reduce transactions costs and create economic opportunities, including for the poor.
At the same time, driven by a number of powerful factors related to security, development and new technology, many countries have been introducing new ID programmes or upgrading existing ones to increase their capabilities. Conventional ID systems are rapidly giving way to digital ID or e-ID systems, even in poor countries. Almost all of the new systems and most upgrades to existing ones involve the use of digital databases, data analysis and transfer, and digital biometric technology.
The question is not whether this trend will continue but how and how effectively the new systems will support inclusive development.
A Global Perspective
Countries have very different ID architectures. The legal, institutional, and technological arrangements to register and identify people differ a great deal. Some countries have developed strong centralized systems, either in a Ministry (Home Affairs, Justice) or an autonomous agency dedicated to providing registration and identification services (Pakistan’s NADRA, Peru’s RENIEC or India’s UIDAI).
Some have multiple incompatible competing systems—voter ID, tax ID, bank ID, pension ID as well as an un-developed national ID system (Mexico, Nigeria, Tanzania). Some still rely on “local ID” that is administered at the community level (Ethiopia).
According to Alan Gelb and Julia Clark of the Centre for Global Development, formal identification is a prerequisite for development in the modern world. The inability to authenticate oneself when interacting with the state—or with private entities such as banks—inhibits access to basic rights and services, including education, formal employment, financial services, voting, social transfers, and more.
Unfortunately, under documentation is pervasive in the developing world. Civil registration systems are often absent or cover only a fraction of the population. In contrast, people in rich countries are almost all well identified from birth. This “identity gap” is increasingly recognised as not only a symptom of underdevelopment but as a factor that makes development more difficult and less inclusive. Many programs now aim to provide individuals in poor countries with more robust official identity, often in the context of the delivery of particular services. Many of these programs use digital biometric identification technology that distinguish physical or behavioural features, such as fingerprints or iris scans, to help “leapfrog” traditional paper-based identity systems.
The technology cannot do everything, but recent advances enable it to be used far more accurately than previously, to provide identification (who are you?) and authentication (are you who you claim to be?). Technology costs are falling rapidly, and it is now possible to ensure unique identity in populations of at least several hundred million with little error, they wrote.
Further, they write that rich and poor countries differ in many ways, including the provision of identity services to their citizens. Most wealthy nations have robust identification systems based on strong basic official documentation such as birth certificates. These traditional, paper-based systems— though susceptible to fraud on an individual level–are sufficient for most purposes and can reasonably ensure uniqueness within a population. Citizens in rich countries can generally “prove” who they are to acceptable standards, whether for interactions with the state (voting, claiming social security payments, obtaining passports) or with non-state institutions (opening a bank account, buying a house).
Conversely, many people living in poor countries lack any official documentation (UNICEF, 2005). In a sense, these individuals do not formally exist, and are therefore excluded from the many points of engagement between a modern state and its citizens. They cannot open bank accounts or register property. There is no easy way to confirm that they have received the public transfers or services to which they are entitled. Traditional social structures may provide local recognition, but communal systems of identification break down with internal migration and urbanisation.
Governments in poor countries are asked to carry out many functions that were not expected of more advanced governments until relatively recent times, including providing universal access to healthcare and education, implementing know your customer (KYC) rules for financial institutions, and administering a wide variety of transfer programs. Each of these functions services requires state–citizen interactions that often rely on formal identification to ensure eligibility. Unfortunately it is in these poor countries that there exists identity gap; and, this “identity gap” has profound implications for development.
For many poor people, this “identity gap” severely limits opportunities for economic, social and political development. Robust identification services are urgently needed to close this gap, but identity management systems have historically taken centuries to develop and mature in industrialised countries (Higgs, 2011). Biometric identification technology is a potential solution.
The Indian Experience
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a central government agency of India. Its objective is to collect the biometric and demographic data of residents, store them in a centralised database, and issue a 12-digit unique identity number called Aadhaar to each resident. It is considered the world’s largest national identification number project.
The 12-digit Aadhaar number could soon replace all card transactions in India.
Soon the 12-digit Aadhaar number could replace all card transactions as the Indian government is gearing up to strengthen the Aadhaar enabled transactions as part of its drive to help India become a cashless economy. The move, which is part of an all-round approach towards enabling digital payments and is being driven by NITI Aayog, would also see government soon coming out with a clear-cut defined policy to disincentivise cash transactions in the country.
UIDAI in India
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established under the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (“Aadhaar Act 2016”) on 12 July 2016 by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Prior to its establishment as a statutory authority, UIDAI was functioning as an attached office of the then Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog) vide its Gazette Notification No.-A-43011/02/2009-Admn.I) dated 28th January, 2009. Later, on 12 September 2015, the Government revised the Allocation of Business Rules to attach the UIDAI to the Department of Electronics & Information Technology (DeitY) of the then Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
UIDAI was created with the objective to issue Unique Identification numbers (UID), named as “Aadhaar”, to all residents of India that is (a) robust enough to eliminate duplicate and fake identities, and (b) can be verified and authenticated in an easy, cost-effective way. The first UID number was issued on 29 September 2010 to a resident of Nandurbar, Maharashtra. The Authority has so far issued more than 107 crore Aadhaar numbers to the residents of India.
Under the Aadhaar Act 2016, UIDAI is responsible for Aadhaar enrolment and authentication, including operation and management of all stages of Aadhaar life cycle, developing the policy, procedure and system for issuing Aadhaar numbers to individuals and perform authentication and also required to ensure the security of identity information and authentication records of individuals.
The UIDAI was set up by the Government of India in January 2009, as an attached office under aegis of Planning Commission vide its a gazette notification. The UIDAI is mandated to assign a 12-digit unique identification (UID) number (termed as Aadhaar) to all the residents of India. As per the notification, the UIDAI has been given the responsibility to lay down plan and policies to implement UID scheme, to own and operate the UID database and be responsible for its updating and maintenance on an on-going basis. The implementation of UID scheme entails generation and assignment of UID to residents; defining mechanisms and processes for interlinking UID with partner databases; operation and management of all stages of UID life cycle; framing policies and procedures for updating mechanism and defining usage and applicability of UID for delivery of various services among others. The number is linked to the resident’s basic demographic and biometric information such as photograph, ten fingerprints and two iris scans, which are stored in a centralised database.
Starting with issuing of first UID in September 2010, the UIDAI has been targeting to issue UID – a unique 12 digit Aadhaar number to all the residents that (a) is robust enough to eliminate duplicate and fake identities, and (b) can be verified and authenticated in an easy and cost-effective way online anywhere, anytime.
Enrolment and Update Ecosystem
Enrolment Ecosystem consists of Registrars and Enrolment Agencies. Registrar is an entity authorised or recognized by UIDAI for the purpose of enrolling individuals. Enrolment Agencies are appointed by Registrars and are responsible for collecting demographic and biometric information of individuals during the enrolment process by engaging certified Operators/Supervisors.
In co-ordination with the Registrars, the Enrolment Agencies set up Enrolment Centres, where residents can enrol for Aadhaar. Multiple fingerprint scanners, iris scanners, and cameras used for enrolment are certified by STQC and UIDAI, and all connect to the UIDAI designed standard Application Programming Interface (API). Appointment of multiple registrars, multiple enrolment agencies, and multiple technology providers has created an environment of healthy competition within.
Authentication Ecosystem
The UIDAI has set up a scalable ecosystem for the purpose of instant authentication of residents. The Aadhaar authentication ecosystem is capable of handling tens of millions of authentications on a daily basis, and can be scaled up further as per the demand. The UIDAI has appointed a number of Authentication Service Agencies (ASAs) and Authentication User Agencies (AUAs) from various Government and non-Government organisations. The UIDAI, in partnership with STQC, has also laid down the technical standards for biometric devices, and certified a number of them.
Since the authentication service is provided online and in real-time, the UIDAI has also established two data centres where authentication and other online services such as e-KYC are deployed in active-active mode to ensure high availability. Banks and payment network operators have embedded Aadhaar authentication into micro-ATMs in order to provide branch-less banking anywhere in the country in a real-time, scalable and interoperable manner.
Enrolment success
As of 26 November 2016, a total of 1,081,564,541 Aadhaar numbers have been issued in the project for the Indian population of 1,210,601,445; that is already 89.34% covered.
Expenditure
By July 2013, the government had spent a total of US$460 million on the project By February 2015, the government had spent US$840 million on the project and generated 786.5 million Aadhaar numbers. By end of 2015, total of US$890 million had been spent.
Background
The Unique Identification project was initially conceived by then Planning Commission as an initiative that would provide a clear and unique identity number for each resident across the country and would be used primarily as the basis for efficient delivery of welfare services. It would also act as a tool for effective monitoring of various programs and schemes of the Government.
Much before the creation of the UIDAI, efforts were undertaken by the Government of India to provide an identity to residents first in 1993, with the issuance of photo identity cards by the Election Commission, and further in 2003, with the approval of Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC).
2006
The concept of unique identification was first discussed and worked upon in 2006, when administrative approval for the project “Unique ID for BPL families” was given on 03 March 2006 by the Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. This project was to be implemented by NIC over a period of 12 months. Subsequently, a Processes Committee to suggest processes for updation, modification, addition and deletion of data fields from the core database under the Unique ID for BPL families Project was set up on 03 July 2006.
Thereafter, a “Strategic Vision on the UID Project” was prepared by M/s Wipro Ltd (consultant for the design phase and program management phase of the Pilot UIDAI project) and submitted to the Processes Committee. It envisaged the close linkage that the UID would have to the electoral database. The Committee also appreciated the need of a UID Authority to be created by an executive order under the aegis of the then Planning Commission to ensure a pan-departmental and neutral identity for the Authority and at the same time enable a focused approach to attain the goals set for the XI Plan. The seventh meeting of the Process Committee on 30 August 2007 decided to furnish to then Planning Commission a detailed proposal based on the resource model for seeking its “in principle” approval.
At the same time, the Registrar General of India was engaged in the creation of the National Population Register and issuance of Multi-purpose National Identity Cards to citizens of India. Therefore, it was decided, with the approval of the Prime Minister, to constitute an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) to collate the two schemes – the National Population Register under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Unique Identification Number project of the Department of Information Technology.
2009
Subsequent to the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries and decision of the EGoM, the UIDAI was constituted and notified by then Planning Commission in January 2009 as an attached office of the then Planning Commission with the role and responsibilities laid down in the said notification. Shri Nandan Nilekani was appointed as the first Chairperson of the UIDAI vide notification (No.-A-43011/02/2009-Admn.I (Vol. II) on 02 July 2009 in the rank and status of a Cabinet Minister for an initial tenure of five years. Shri Ram Sevak Sharma, IAS, joined the authority as its first Director General in July 2009.
The Prime Minister’s Council on UIDAI, constituted on 30 July 2009 in its first meeting on 12 August 2009 approved the broad strategy and approach on UID system submitted by the UIDAI.
Later, this Council was substituted by a Cabinet Committee on UIDAI which was constituted by the Government of India vide its order no. 1/11/6/2009 dated 22 October 2009. The functions of this Committee, as per this notification included all issues relating to the Unique identification Authority of India including its organization, plans, policies, programmes, schemes, funding and methodology to be adopted for achieving the objectives of the Authority.
Social Security number in the US
In the United States, a Social Security number (SSN) is a nine-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents under section 205(c)(2) of the Social Security Act, codified as 42 U.S.C. § 405(c)(2). The number is issued to an individual by the Social Security Administration, an independent agency of the United States government. Although its primary purpose is to track individuals for Social Security purposes, the Social Security number has become a de facto national identification number for taxation and other purposes.
Role of Biometrics in Refugee Identity Crisis Management
The protracted Syrian civil war has caused one of the “biggest refugee and migration crises since World War II” as said by U.N. General Secretary, Ban Ki-moon. As a result, nearly 12 million Syrians, equivalent to half of the Syrian population, have fled their homes. European countries have wrestled with its immigration policies on whether to welcome in more migrants. Despite the humanitarian concern, there is fear that a massive influx of migrant refugees will pose a grave security and stability threat.
The Paris terrorist attacks on November 13, 2015 have made things more complicated. According to media reports, one of the terrorists impersonated as a Syria refugee and entered Greece in October. From there, he moved to many countries and eventually made his way to Paris for the attacks. People not only in EU, US and Gulf but all over the globe are now living in doubt whether there are any IS forces hiding into the country and when the next terror attack would happen. The migrants have provoked an identity crisis in EU and other countries that requires unity of the nations.
Biometrics is the measurement of human characteristics such as: finger, face, iris, ear, etc. Since the old-fashioned authentication methods such as password or credentials become insecure and cumbersome, biometrics has risen to be the most secure one in identity management and access control. Regarding identity management, biometric recognition has been deployed in many countries for an effective and secured identity management. One of the biggest national ID projects that cannot be pretermitted is the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India). Its object is to collect fingerprint, iris data and photograph of 1.2 billion residents.
Another example is that UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) has rolled out a significant project to register and verify the identities of displaced persons around the world by building a breakthrough Biometric Identity Management system (BIMS). As of today, 17,000 refugees in Malawi camp, over 120,000 refugees in Thailand camp and roughly 100,000 refugees to date in Chad have had their biometric identity registered. Identification of refugees becomes a necessary thing to grant access to financial and food subsidies. As most of them have lost their identity documents during the fleeing, giving them a new ID using biometric system is the safest and fastest way to secure their access. In a broader perspective, these refugees’ biometrics data can be shared between countries in order to keep track of refugees while they move across borders, thus keeping the safety and stability of host countries and others. Biometrics has proved as a digital innovation to improve people’s lives and make a significant social and economic change. Especially as the refugee identity crisis becomes a global issue, the role of biometrics is even more critical.
According to BiometricUpdates, the Malaysian and American governments have signed an agreement to share a database containing the biometric records of about 1.2 million people suspected of terrorism and other serious crimes. As another movement, UK Government has decided to work with UNHCR in order to implement biometric screening on any Syrian refugees that coming to the UK. Furthermore, recently in the U.N. Agenda 2030 document, the United Nations has set a goal that: “By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration.” In a new report issued in collaboration with Accenture, the World Bank is calling on governments to “work together to implement standardized, cost-effective identity management solutions.” The new biometric IDs are not just for refugees but will be for everyone in the world. Apparently, biometrics with its superior advantages can ease the refugee’s management by reducing the fraudulence in identity and enhancing the security of the border control system. We really hope for a world when U.N biometric for all humanity is in place and people’s identity will be protected and secured.