Additional Info

• First Name: Volker
• Last Name: Schimmel
• Priority: Normal
• Job Title: Director, Global Data Service
• Company: UNHCR - The United Nations Refugee Agency
• Country: Denmark
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• Session Timeslot: Thursday 15/10/2026 15:00-15:20
• Session Title: Session 6 __ Identity in a changing world: impact of socio-political disruptions
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• Session Track: Identity
• Session Location: Audi 15
• Role: Speaker
• Bio:

  Volker Schimmel is Director of UNHCR’s Global Data Service, leading the organisation’s work on data, digital identity, analytics, and technology to strengthen refugee protection and solutions worldwide. Since 2020, he has driven efforts to improve evidence-based decision-making and impact, building on his role in establishing the UNHCR–World Bank Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement in 2019, which introduced new approaches to data partnerships and policymaking.

  Previously, Mr Schimmel played a leading operational role in UNHCR’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis across Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, and Syria, driving innovation in digital identity, cash assistance, financial inclusion, and data systems. Since joining UNHCR in 2003, he has also served with OCHA in Burundi and UNRWA in Syria, where he led pioneering humanitarian and camp rehabilitation initiatives. He holds an MSc in International Relations and Conflict Studies.

• Presentation Title: Trust Frontier - Facial biometrics and digital credentials for refugees
• Presentation 2-Line Description: Join UNHCR for an inside look at its global journey with facial biometrics, exploring the opportunities, challenges and real-world complexities of deploying digital identity solutions across diverse environments. Discover why trust matters most in low- and zero-connectivity settings and examine both the promise and limitations of verifiable credentials in supporting secure, reliable identity verification at scale.
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• Profile: Identity
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