1) An open letter to the leaders of international development banks, the United Nations, international aid organisations, funding agencies, and national governments on Digital ID. #WhyID #HudumaNamba accessnow.org/whyid/
2) Most digital identity programmes follow a centralised and ubiquitous model, without delivering incremental benefits to users. #HudumaNamba
3) The central digital identity is linked to multiple other IDs and purposes for each user. This framework provides an ability to track and log everyday activities and transactions of a user. #HudumaNamba
4) High profile cases have demonstrated that these programmes can create the risk of 360-degree profiling and surveillance of users by governments and private actors with access to the databases associated with such programmes. #HudumaNamba
5) Such an ecosystem can be hugely detrimental to the fundamental right to privacy of users. #HudumaNamba
6) The problem is accentuated in countries with a lack of comprehensive privacy and surveillance frameworks, compromised institutional standards, and weak independent enforcement.#HudumaNamba
7)In such countries, financial incentives become stronger for governments and private businesses to delay and dilute privacy and data protection standards, while enabling risky digital identity programmes. #HudumaNamba
8) The mandatory nature of most digital identity programmes leads to exclusionary outcomes. Marginalised groups unable to enroll, due to a variety of circumstances, such as poor technology infrastructure, gaps in technology design, etc.,#HudumaNamba
9) Enrollment in a digital identity programme must be optional. A digital identity cannot be a precondition to access basic services and rights. #HudumaNamba
10) Marginalised populations are being affected the most. Populations such as refugees, transgender people, and those affected by HIV are being required to register in digital identity programmes, as a pre-condition to receiving aid. #HudumaNamba
11) It is distressing to see international institutions and organisations in charge of aid programmes requiring registration to these types of digital identity frameworks. #HudumaNamba
12) It is essential to understand that vulnerable populations have a complete lack of negotiation power in such circumstances; consent in such circumstances is hardly valid consent and such enrollment can become coercive.#HudumaNamba
13) Biometric identifiers, including fingerprints and facial geometry, have become increasingly popular as a means of enrolling individuals into systems and then authenticating users. Biometric data is vulnerable to hacking just like other authentication methods. #HudumaNamba
14) However, unlike a password, biometric indicators cannot simply be reset or changed as needed. #HudumaNamba
15) This poses a higher security risk, since it becomes increasingly difficult to repair the damage done by leaks or hacks of biometric data, and thus restore sanctity to biometric-based systems. #HudumaNamba
16) Why do we need these foundational digital identity systems? What are their benefits? #HudumaNamba
17) Why are such programmes deployed without sufficient evidence of the benefits that they should deliver? How do these programmes plan to reduce the risk to and safeguard the rights and data of users? #HudumaNamba
18) Why should it be mandatory – either explicitly or de facto – for users to enroll onto these programmes? These programmes are either mandatory through legislative mandates or through making them a precondition to essential services for users.#HudumaNamba
19) Why are these programmes centralised and ubiquitous? Why is one digital identity linked to multiple facets of a citizen’s life? #HudumaNamba
20) Why are countries leapfrogging to digital identity programmes, especially in regions where conventional identity programmes have not worked? The scalability of digital identity programmes also makes their harms scalable.#HudumaNamba
21) Why are these digital identity programmes not following the security guidance coming out of various expert academic and technical standard-setting bodies on the use of biometrics in identity systems?#HudumaNamba
22)Why are some private sector enterprises being privileged with access and ability to access the ID systems and build their private businesses on top of them? #HudumaNamba
23) Those who promote digital identity programmes must thoroughly answer these questions, and follow human rights-centric approaches to identity.#HudumaNamba
24)Those who promote these programmes must first critically evaluate and answer these basic WhyID questions, along with providing evidence of such rationale. #HudumaNamba #WhyID
25) If there is no compelling rationale, evidence-based policy plan, and measures to avoid and repair harms, there should be no digital identity programme rolled out. #HudumaNamba 
26)They must be checked for necessary safeguards and detailed audit reports must be made public, for scrutiny. If the necessary safeguards are not in place, the digital identity programmes must be halted. #HudumaNamba #WhyID
