More than ever before, forcibly displaced communities are articulating, with urgency, the importance of connectivity as a basic, fundamental need and a right.
In a fast-evolving digital world, communities are using connectivity as a gateway for everything from accessing life-saving information to learning online, benefiting from digital services, and finding sources of livelihoods. However, in the absence of a holistic response to the connectivity challenges facing forcibly displaced populations, many are still left behind.
Key objective
By coming together as a wide coalition under the banner of a Global Refugee Forum transformational pledge on Connectivity for Refugees, we can collectively harness the wide range of expertise, resources and investment needed to provide meaningful connectivity to forcibly displaced and stateless people and the communities that host them.
Through this, we will build the foundations of a 21st-century humanitarian response and ensure national and global targets for bridging the digital divide are inclusive of those forced to flee their homes.
Pledge
The mega pledge will serve as a platform to promote synergies and matching opportunities between pledging entities and other stakeholders to fulfill implementation of pledges, mobilize resources, share best practices, ensure progress monitoring, and promote accountability related to key areas to help catalyze connectivity efforts in humanitarian contexts. Commitments will be evidence-informed and supported by relevant programmes, technical assistance, and financing mechanisms.
Together, with and for communities, supporters commit to taking action in the following thematic areas:
Policy and regulation
Fostering an enabling policy and regulatory environment for building and expanding connectivity infrastructure, along with lifting legal barriers to individual access to services.
Connectivity solutions
Understanding connectivity levels and needs in refugee hosting areas, provision of connectivity infrastructure, piloting new business models for advancing connectivity and devising an evidence-base pathway for sustainable and inclusive connectivity solutions.
Connecting key facilities
Ensuring key facilities in refugee-hosting areas such as schools, health centres and community centres are connected to the internet and that communities have access to devices and relevant content.
For more information on Connectivity for Refugees
The mega pledge recognises the generous commitments made at the 2019 GRF towards enhancing connectivity and seeks to renew and expand support in this area, further building on the outcomes of the High-Level Officials Meeting (HLOM) that specifically noted internet connection challenges for forcibly displaced communities, the need to promote connectivity, and the potential of shared value partnerships.
Find out more about all GRF process and pledges
Find out more about ITU Partner2Connect Digital Coalition
Coalition
The mega pledge is co-convened by UNHCR, the ITU, the GSMA, and the Government of Luxembourg with a wide and growing network of partners across government, private sector, international organizations, NGOs and community-led organizations either contributing pledges or voicing their interest in the Connectivity for Refugees agenda.
Contributions by partners and stakeholders are warmly welcomed. Click the below link to get in touch or outline your interest in being part of the pledge.
Contact us
For further details or information, you can contact us at
Timelines
Coming Soon
- Mega-pledge technical guidance and example pledges
- Information on side event at the Global Refugee Forum
- Notification of online sessions on key thematics