Articles & Videos
Discussions on humanitarian innovation and innovation in UNHCR
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Integrating storytelling as a tool for healing and community building
It started like this: a small, white video camera; two Syrian youth facilitators; and twenty-five Syrian youth in the Zaatari refugee camp...
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Education is key for refugees to build their futures. Here’s how we can help them do that.
Access to higher education scholarships, training, and professional opportunities for refugees is essential. Yet, just one percent of...
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Celine Schmitt, UNHCR’s Senior Public Information Officer and Spokesperson in Paris, visited UNHCR Innovation Service to discuss the successes and challenges of launching the Refugee Food Festival.
Sandra, UNHCR’s Regional Instant Network Schools Officers, discusses the opportunities for personalized online learning for refugees and bridging the digital divide.
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Our Latest Articles
Why we need to position UNHCR for the future
This essay was originally posted in the recently released report: UNHCR Innovation Service: Year in Review 2016. This report highlights...
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Set up a system to manage two-way SMS in two minutes
Only a few years ago, what was considered 'innovative' was using phones - in any way possible - to engage with communities. Time moves...
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10 things to consider before rolling out two-way SMS
While we describe how to get started with two-way SMS in our recent blog, there are a number of things to consider before embarking on...
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Refugees are not the crisis. It’s the narratives we tell about them.
Don’t start with a boat. Don’t show it lurching on the waves, a crush of terrified people packed elbow to ribcage, a baby crying. Don’t...
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How UNHCR trialed their Innovation Fellowship with the broader humanitarian system
For the first time last year, the UNHCR Innovation Service opened its Fellowship to applicants from an outside organization: Medecins Sans...
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Information and Communication Needs Assessment Tool
In order to support UNHCR Field operations and other humanitarian response organisations undertake Information and Communication Needs...
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Understanding Information Ecosystems: Making it happen
“...an investment in researching access, sourcing, flow and trust around information movement in any given community is vital to the...
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Six steps for adapting your design solutions to the right context
In a recent workshop, we were presented this quandary: ‘I get the challenge definition, but how do you nail down a solution’. I’m writing...
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Why we’re doing a series on women in the humanitarian sector
The ‘UNHCR Innovation Women Video Series’ highlights unique perspectives and challenges of women in UNHCR. They offer their experiences on...
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Migration, Mitigation and Maps: The predictive role of UNHCR’s first Winter Cell
This essay was originally posted in the recently released report: UNHCR Innovation Service: Year in Review 2016. This report highlights...
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Chatbots in humanitarian settings: revolutionary, a fad or something in-between?
‘Hi, can I speak with UNHCR?’ Mobile messaging apps are the fastest-growing digital communications phenomenon to date. Today, more than...
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Rethinking what innovation means in emergencies – the case of Angola
This article is a part of our 'Innovation in Angola' series where we highlight innovative ways of working and best practices in...
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