Myanmar: Human Rights Analysis of Biometric Digital ID Systems
substantial number.92 Certain marginalised groups have lower rates of Aadhaar enrolment; 30% of
homeless persons lacked an Aadhaar number, perhaps because of the requirement to show
residency.93
Other Key Concerns
Several other key issues with Aadhaar signal concerns to look out for with other digital ID regimes:
• Data breaches: Researchers and activists have identified a number of leaks of Aadhaar
data or other breaches.94 Many of these are related to attempts to link Aadhaar to other
systems. For example, a failed attempt to link Aadhaar to voter registry lists has raised
concerns about politicians accessing voter data.95
• Surveillance: Every time the Aadhaar system authenticates an identity, it stores that
information in authentication logs. These logs have the potential to be used as a
surveillance tool, which is of particular concern because the legal framework does not
articulate clear standards for when law enforcement officials may access Aadhaar data.96
• Oversight: UIDAI was formed before the Aadhaar Act was passed, meaning that its legal
mandate was created in an ad hoc fashion. The Supreme Court found that the grievance
and appeals mechanisms were insufficient. Originally, the Aadhaar Act only permitted
UIDAI to bring complaints about violations of the Act and not on behalf of individual
victims. The Supreme Court has now directed that this should be amended, noting that the
Act “does not place any institutional accountability upon UIDAI to protect the database of
citizens’ personal information.”97
3.2 Kenya
Kenya’s National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) combines biometric data with
personal information from pre-existing government databases. Ultimately, it aims to serve as the
single source of ID in Kenya.98 Upon registration, each person receives a unique number called a
Huduma Number, or Huduma Namba in Swahili. The government has indicated that this will be
necessary in order to access services in the future such as acquiring an ID card, passport or driving
licence.
The government reported that 26 million Kenyans had registered in the first round of Huduma
Namba registration, which ran from April to May 2019. The system uses information on
nationality, place of birth, parentage, marital status, educational and employment background,
92
Sushil Kambampati, note 78.
State of Aadhaar, Top 10 Insights, note 90.
94
SFLC, Aadhaar Breaches and Leaks, 24 April 2017. Available at: https://sflc.in/uidai-aadhaar-breaches-and-leaks.
95
Aria Thaker, Data Leaks Could Wreak Havoc in India, So Why Aren’t They an Issue this Election?, Quartz India,
4 April 2019. Available at: https://qz.com/india/1586748/data-leaks-and-cybersecurity-should-be-an-election-issuein-india.
96
Access Now, note 2, at 19.
97
Puttaswamy v. India, 2018, note 82, para. 353 (directing amendment of section 47).
98
National Government Communication Centre, Brochure: National Integrated Identity Management System.
Available at: https://www.hudumanamba.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NIIMS-BROCHURE-suggestededits.pdf.
93
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