Generously supported by the Government of Luxembourg
Introduction
UNHCR’s Digital Inclusion programme aims to ensure that refugees and the communities that host them have the right, and the choice, to be included in a connected society, and can have their voices heard in the design and implementation of humanitarian response. This programme is led by UNHCR’s Innovation Service and utilises innovative approaches, tools and methodologies to achieve its goals – encouraging community-centric creative approaches that address identified challenges.
The programme is delivered by the UNHCR Innovation Service to pursue experimental and forward-thinking approaches to the topic of digital inclusion, something that will impact the future work of UNHCR across its different work areas. It will be a sandbox for testing new operational activities that support persons of concern to UNHCR, to exercise their rights to be part of a connected society. It provides space to develop creative solutions to engage with refugees and promote their participation in programming. It also seeks to strengthen community self-reliance by exploring opportunities for communities to engage in the digital economy and pursue safe and fair digitally-enabled livelihoods.
Furthermore, the approach taken aligns with the Innovation Service’s values, specifically and intentionally investing in supporting equitable and inclusive digital access across diverse communities and different ages, genders and demographics. Through this programme, the Service aims to put into practice many of the innovation approaches and methodologies utilised within the service to demonstrate first-hand how they can support programme design and delivery.
The programme works as a supporting function to UNHCR operations and aims to enhance our field experimentation and delivery through a four-pillar approach that covers Research and Advocacy, Capacity Building, Field and Operational Support, and Partnerships & Coordination.
Research and Advocacy
Building strong links between research and advocacy is vital. It helps ensure that research can support operational goals and policy change, as well as provide space for thought leadership on emerging issues. Where research, data and evidence highlight areas for advocacy, these will be taken forward at global, regional and country level as applicable with the support of UNHCR Regional Bureaus and Country operations, drawing links with operational activities and coordination as necessary.
Guidance and Capacity Building
In order to scale the impact of the programme across the sector, UNHCR seeks to support humanitarian practitioners in how they design their humanitarian programmes on digital inclusion based on the evidence of what has – and what hasn’t – worked. This requires the structured documentation of learning to create guidance, trainings, and tools for UNHCR, its partners and other stakeholders engaged on the topic.
Field and Operational Support
In order to achieve the goals of this programme, building strong and comprehensive partnerships is essential. UNHCR is reaching-out across the humanitarian sector, to governments, private sector and communities themselves to leverage new and creative models for engagement and collaboration. Coupled with strong inter-agency coordination, all partners can benefit from each others’ diverse experience, bringing valuable lessons, information, and data to the table to help drive an agenda that challenges assumptions about refugee inclusion at large.
Partnerships & Coordination
In order to achieve the goals of this programme, building strong and comprehensive partnerships is essential. UNHCR is reaching-out across the humanitarian sector, to governments, private sector and communities themselves to leverage new and creative models for engagement and collaboration. Coupled with strong inter-agency coordination, all partners can benefit from each others’ diverse experience, bringing valuable lessons, information, and data to the table to help drive an agenda that challenges assumptions about refugee inclusion at large.
What we mean by Digital Inclusion
Digital Inclusion is providing equal, meaningful and safe access to and use of digital technologies and opportunities in the digital space for everyone, everywhere, without leaving behind those in vulnerable positions or traditionally marginalised and equity-seeking groups.
Activities may include but are not limited to the following areas:
- Supporting Commercial Connectivity Services through partnerships with international and local providers;
- Community-Based Connectivity using community-driven models and innovative partnership arrangements;
- Engaging with governments and regulators to facilitate Legal Access to SIM Cards and Digital Financial Service provision providing inclusion of refugees in national digital strategies and frameworks;
- Breaking down barriers to Digital Inclusion for People with Disabilities.
- Breaking the Digital Gender Divide through targeted interventions to support women and girls’ digital inclusion;
- Digital Inclusion for Older Persons through addressing barriers and preventing ageism in the digital world
- Digital Literacy and Skills for UNHCR populations of concern and enhancing their safety online
- Online Digital Protection of Refugees and protection of their personal data and information
- Addressing Misinformation and Rumour Online which hinder access to reliable information for communities
- Identifying, adopting and adapting digital tools that provide and strengthen online feedback and complaints mechanisms
- Strengthen UNHCR engagement with refugees on social media and identify pathways for community voices to inform UNHCR programming;
- Supporting communities Safe Access to the Digital Economy and providing secure digitally-enabled livelihoods and opportunities for decent work free of exploitation
- Providing access to digital technology for entertainment and social purposes to support community resilience and well-being – Digital Leisure.
- Create opportunities for digital to provide solutions to environmental crises and greening its impact.
Digital Inclusion Fund
UNHCR Innovation Service is happy to announce the Digital Inclusion Fund that provides targeted financial & technical support to country operations interested in tackling specific challenges relating to Digital Inclusion that have emerged from the previous two funds, operational experience across the organisation and critical research undertaken within the programme.
Initiatives
PROSPECTS
Supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its ‘PROSPECTS Opportunity Fund’, UNHCR and ILO have jointly launched a project that aims to ensure safe, secure and inclusive access to digitally-enabled livelihoods for refugees and hosting communities
Connectivity for
Refugees
UNHCR’s Connectivity for Refugees initiative focuses on ensuring no one is left behind in accessing connectivity
Communicating with Communities
Through improved digital inclusion there is greater potential for UNHCR to engage with refugees
Stories
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Contact
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