[2012] Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, has described the mobile phone as the “single most transformative tool for development”. This publication by Save the Children and the Vodafone Foundation explores how to overcome obstacles to the effective use of mobile phone technology in emergency response, in relation to distribution of cash to support food security and livelihoods, information sharing, two-way communication with affected communities, and other potential integrated services.

The report draws on interviews with emergency response staff in six countries to argue that, in order to realise the potential of mobile phones in emergency response, emphasis should go on: increasing accountability, building preparedness and prioritising collaboration. It also provides recommendations for the humanitarian sector to realise the transformative potential of mobile phones more fully.