Privacy policy

UNHCR is an international organization of the United Nations. It is committed to the privacy of individuals in accordance with its own rules and regulations, including data protection. UNHCR acts as the controller of all personal data collected in accordance with this Privacy Policy and can be contacted as set out in Section 10 below.

1. Scope of the Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use and disclose your information, including your personal data, in conjunction with your access to and use of the Connecting Worlds mobile application (“the Connecting Worlds app”, “the application” or the “app”). By using the application and the services related to it, you agree to the Privacy Policy outlined herein.

2. Personal data

When you register with the application, you accept to provide some personal information (listed below), most of which will be shared with the refugee family you connect with. 

• Your mobile number type (not shared)
• Your photo (optional)
• First name
• Gender
• Date of birth/age
• Academic field of study/major
• Goals for match
• All message data
• All image data

You certify that all information you provide through the Connecting Worlds app is true, accurate, and up to date. You agree to maintain the security of your account, which would include using a secure password and not sharing your password.

3. Why UNHCR is Collecting and Processing Your Data

With your consent, UNHCR may use your personal data only for the purposes of:

• Creating a direct communication channel between you and a refugee student to allow the most appropriate matching and enhance your connection with the refugee student.
• Assessing the performance of the application through the analysis of your data in an anonymized form (i.e., used in a manner that no one will be able to connect it to your identity) 
• Ensuring that you and the refugee student are protected from sharing sensitive information (such as phone numbers, social media account addresses and physical location details).

In order to meet the above-referred protection concerns, as part of a moderation process, by using the application, you permit UNHCR to read your messages.

You can withdraw your consent for UNHCR to use your data at any time. You can stop using the application and also request the deletion of all your data (see Section 6 below).

4. Confidentiality and Security of Your Data

Any personal data collected, received, used, transferred and stored by UNHCR is protected by strict conditions of confidentiality and security in accordance with UNHCR data protection legal framework. As an international organization, UNHCR enjoys privileges and immunities that help protect your data from being accessed by governments and other third parties.

Access to your personal data will be restricted to i) UNHCR personnel that are part of a dedicated project team, (ii) selected staff of UNHCR National Partners (as defined in Section 5 below), and (iii) staff of UNHCR service provider 3 Sided Cube (UK) Ltd (the application developer) who are strictly bound by confidentiality obligations.  

UNHCR commits to make its best efforts to maintain the security and confidentiality of your personal information, including through encryption in compliance with ISO 27001 standards.  

5. Your Data shared with Third Parties  

Your personal data will be shared with i) UNHCR National Partners that use Connecting Worlds in the country where you make your donation. National Partners are independent legal entities partnering with UNHCR to raise funds, increase awareness and advocate in support of UNHCR’s work in the country in which they are based. ii) 3 Sided Cube (UK) Ltd who will process your personal data in accordance with the applicable data protection and privacy legal framework, including EU data protection and privacy standards.  

For storage purposes, your personal data is transferred and held by 3-Sided Cube (UK) and by its provider of cloud-based services.

6. Right to Change and Delete Your Data  

Once you have entered your profile data in the application, there is an option to confirm or change your personal information, but once you have confirmed and completed your profile, there is no further option to change it afterwards until your profile is active.   

Messages, once sent and approved by the moderator, cannot be changed or deleted. Personal data that is entered as a user of the application is listed under Section 2 above.

You can access your data and may request that your account is deleted at any time by deleting the application and contacting us to request that your personal data be deleted from UNHCR’s files. at [email protected]

If you choose to delete your account, all personal data will be deleted from UNHCR’s files, and UNHCR will only keep aggregated data for the purpose of further developing and improving the application

• Your account may be deactivated if your profile is inactive for 2 months, as UNHCR will assume that you are no longer interested in the application services. Subsequently, your data will be retained (until it is permanently deleted) in accordance with the retention periods set out in Section 8 below.

7. Requesting Your Data

At any time, you may request a copy of all your personal data that has been gathered through the UNHCR Connecting Worlds application regarding your account, which will then be sent to you via email. Please direct all requests to the following email address: [email protected]. Your data is available for 6 months after the end of your connection.

8. Retaining your Data

Your data is stored by UNHCR as long as necessary for the purposes identified in this Policy or for other legitimate purposes such as complying with internal rules and regulations of UNHCR, opposing or preventing violations of this Privacy Policy or of the Terms and Conditions applicable to the application, or for securing the safety of the persons under its protection.  

9. Notification of Changes

UNHCR reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. Whenever changes are made, you will be notified and will need to agree in order to continue using the application. 

10. Contact

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us at: [email protected]