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Ep. 114 – Utilising blockchain at UNICEF
For this week’s podcast we had Christina Lomazzo, Blockchain Lead within the Office of Innovation at UNICEF. and Ariana Fowler, Blockchain Strategy within the Office of Innovation at UNICEF, join us to discuss how UNICEF and other UN agencies are using blockchain for social good.
What is blockchain?
Christina and Ariana produced a report entitled “A Practical Guide to Using Blockchain within the United Nations”. As per its guide blockchain is a type of software made up of records of digital transactions that are grouped together into “blocks” of information and shared securely across computers on a shared network. When a new block is added, it is connected or “chained” to the previous block, making it difficult to change past information. All computers on the shared network retain a complete record of transactions as they occur, representing the entire blockchain. These computers are called nodes. Transactions submitted to a blockchain can only be added and previous data cannot be removed or modified. This is sometimes referenced as an immutable proof of record.
What is UNICEF?
UNICEF, the United Nation’s Children’s Fund, is a 70 years old entity that is part of the United Nations. UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. UNICEF works to serve children and women around the world, in the areas of education, child protection, child survival such as vaccination, health, and water sanitation. Last year UNICEF responded to over 300 emergencies around the world, on gender issues, and supply chain.
The Office of Innovation at UNICEF is a team that looks at emerging technologies and how this will have an impact on UNICEF and the work it performs. A data science team that looks at artificial intelligence and machine learning. A team that looks at drones and how those can be used in a variety of scenarios. Most recently a blockchain team was put together that focuses on a number of areas:
* A venture fund that makes early stage investments into start-ups in UNICEF programme countries. The blockchain team acts as technical mentors to those start-ups working on a variety of use cases
* Support internal UNICEF countries office teams who might be interested in building blockchain applications or exploring where blockchain may play a role in their process
* Running UN courses on what is blockchain and with young people around the world, teaching them about blockchain and Web 3.0
“A Practical Guide to Using Blockchain within the United Nations’
The UN innovation network is an informal, collaborative community of UN innovators interested in sharing their expertise and experience with others to promote and advance innovation within the UN System. Under the UN Innovation Network, Christina and Ariana produced a report entitled “A Practical Guide to Using Blockchain within the United Nations”.
The purpose of producing this guide was to give an introductory resource in what blockchain is. It helps to identify if blockchain is the right technology for a use case.
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By Walid Al Saqqaf - Blockchain insuranceFor this week’s podcast we had Christina Lomazzo, Blockchain Lead within the Office of Innovation at UNICEF. and Ariana Fowler, Blockchain Strategy within the Office of Innovation at UNICEF, join us to discuss how UNICEF and other UN agencies are using blockchain for social good.
What is blockchain?
Christina and Ariana produced a report entitled “A Practical Guide to Using Blockchain within the United Nations”. As per its guide blockchain is a type of software made up of records of digital transactions that are grouped together into “blocks” of information and shared securely across computers on a shared network. When a new block is added, it is connected or “chained” to the previous block, making it difficult to change past information. All computers on the shared network retain a complete record of transactions as they occur, representing the entire blockchain. These computers are called nodes. Transactions submitted to a blockchain can only be added and previous data cannot be removed or modified. This is sometimes referenced as an immutable proof of record.
What is UNICEF?
UNICEF, the United Nation’s Children’s Fund, is a 70 years old entity that is part of the United Nations. UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. UNICEF works to serve children and women around the world, in the areas of education, child protection, child survival such as vaccination, health, and water sanitation. Last year UNICEF responded to over 300 emergencies around the world, on gender issues, and supply chain.
The Office of Innovation at UNICEF is a team that looks at emerging technologies and how this will have an impact on UNICEF and the work it performs. A data science team that looks at artificial intelligence and machine learning. A team that looks at drones and how those can be used in a variety of scenarios. Most recently a blockchain team was put together that focuses on a number of areas:
* A venture fund that makes early stage investments into start-ups in UNICEF programme countries. The blockchain team acts as technical mentors to those start-ups working on a variety of use cases
* Support internal UNICEF countries office teams who might be interested in building blockchain applications or exploring where blockchain may play a role in their process
* Running UN courses on what is blockchain and with young people around the world, teaching them about blockchain and Web 3.0
“A Practical Guide to Using Blockchain within the United Nations’
The UN innovation network is an informal, collaborative community of UN innovators interested in sharing their expertise and experience with others to promote and advance innovation within the UN System. Under the UN Innovation Network, Christina and Ariana produced a report entitled “A Practical Guide to Using Blockchain within the United Nations”.
The purpose of producing this guide was to give an introductory resource in what blockchain is. It helps to identify if blockchain is the right technology for a use case.