Making Identity Documents Disaster Proof

It’s a dangerous world out there. In 2024 alone there were 393 major natural disasters across the globe – plus a 107% rise in malware attacks, a 4,151% increase in phishing attacks, millions of DDoS attacks, and tens of thousands of power blackouts.

Events like these can happen anytime, anywhere, and when they occur, they have the potential to cripple a nation’s infrastructure, knock out vital government services and make it impossible to issue or electronically authenticate essential identity documents such as passports, ID cards and driving licenses.

Identity documents may not be top of mind to most people, but when they’re not available, or they don’t work as they should, problems can quickly escalate. Identity documents are the quiet gateway to a wide range of activities and services. Citizens use them every day to travel, complete financial transactions, access work and education, secure housing and healthcare, and to obtain crucial government benefits.  

Proving who you are with a government-issued identity document has become key to modern life. When people cannot prove their identity because they either cannot obtain or cannot authenticate their ID documents, the doors to important actions and services can stay closed – a situation that can cause significant disruption and create challenges for governments, as citizens turn to them for fast solutions. 

There can also be significant economic consequences when identity systems fail. According to the World Bank, US$2.7 trillion in economic losses were caused by natural disasters in 2023 – 2024, with the bulk of those losses occurring in the post-disaster period as unprepared governments struggled to restore vital services needed to support the recovery. 

Ensuring access to legal identity documents is crucial in maintaining societal stability and individual freedoms. Governments have an opportunity to proactively establish Identity Document Recovery Centers to mitigate the effects of identity document loss due to natural disasters, cyberattacks, or infrastructure failures.  

By implementing strategic locations, comprehensive services, and robust operational frameworks, authorities can safeguard citizens’ rights and access to essential services. Forward-thinking initiatives, such as those implemented in Bahrain, Barbados, Kuwait, the UAE, and Ghana, provide valuable models for other nations looking to enhance their disaster preparedness efforts. 

Learn how governments can ensure uninterrupted citizen services by implementing Identity Disaster Recovery Centres.

Discover practical strategies for preparedness in our white paper.