Hackathon harnesses tech to protect the most vulnerable during disasters

At the heart of Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, a new kind of challenge is taking shape — one that could save lives. UN Human Rights has launched Bytes&Rights Hackathon, a global challenge that calls on Japanese students, developers, and start-ups to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and technology to protect human rights during natural and man-made disasters.

Set to kick off this June with a series of workshops, the hackathon culminates in a three-day development sprint beginning 1 September, Japan’s Disaster Prevention Day. A development sprint is a set amount of time when a team works together to finish specific tasks and build part of a tech product, like a piece of software or an early version of an app. Winning ideas will be unveiled in early October and showcased at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan just before the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on 13 October.

A partnership with United Nations University (UNU), the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and Meta, the hackathon ties into the World Expo’s theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” It encourages participants to come up with practical, early-stage solutions — like tools for early warnings, mapping vulnerable areas and people in them, improving communication during crises, and analysing local data — to help make sure no community is overlooked when disaster strikes.

“Innovation must be inclusive, especially when lives are at stake,” said Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. “The Bytes&Rights Hackathon embodies our commitment to ensuring technology serves everyone, particularly the most vulnerable in situations of crisis.”

The challenge is clear: disasters affect everyone, but they often hit the most vulnerable hardest — older people, persons with disabilities, women, children, and migrant communities. Bytes&Rights is about creating solutions that do not leave anyone behind, Al-Nashif added.

Tech for humanity

Ideas generated out of this hackathon could range from AI-powered evacuation apps that send location-based alerts in multiple languages, to voice-activated assistance tools for the elderly, or even heat-mapping tools that help identify underserved areas needing urgent support after a disaster.

Another potential project might be a system that uses satellite data and machine learning to identify at-risk communities — factoring in not only geography, but social vulnerability indicators such as poverty levels, disability status or migration history.

Participants will be challenged to build open-source solutions, ensuring transparency and the potential to scale these tools for real-world use.

Grounded in global lessons

The hackathon builds on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, a global agreement shaped by lessons from disasters like the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

“The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction was developed by reflecting on lessons learned from various major disasters around the world, including the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Its keywords are Resilience and Inclusive,” said Yuki Matsuoka, Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Kobe Office. “Technology and innovation must also contribute to building resilience of our society against disasters, so that no one is left behind.”

Resilience and rights are interdependent, and innovators are encouraged to ensure that the solutions they build put humans and their rights at the centre.

“Technology has tremendous potential to transform how we protect human rights during disasters, but only if it's designed with inclusion at its core,” said Astrid van Genderen Stort, Director of External Engagement and Partnership, UN Human Rights.

A platform for impact

With support from UN University and partners like Meta, the hackathon offers more than prize money. Winners may have the chance to further develop their solutions with expert guidance, gaining visibility and possibly real-world implementation.

Participants will have access to powerful tools, including datasets and AI models provided by Meta’s “AI and Data for Good” initiative. “By bringing together bright minds from Japan and globally and pairing them with the best open-source AI and anonymized datasets that Meta has to offer, we can advance a human rights and disaster response agenda together,” said Laura McGorman, Director of the AI and Data for Good programme at Meta.

Call to action

The Bytes&Rights Hackathon, coordinated by UN Human Rights' Innovation and Analytics Hub, is open to students, tech start-ups, NGOs, and developers with skills in coding, data science, human rights, and disaster management. 

“Human rights need innovation, and innovation needs human rights,” said Anwar Mahfoudh, Innovation and Analytics Hub head, UN Human Rights. "This challenge delivers both."

Registration is open until 30 June 2025 and requires a drive to create technology that protects the most vulnerable when it matters most.

“By integrating human rights principles into disaster risk reduction strategies, we can build more resilient and equitable societies,” Al-Nashif said.