A new report argues for refugees and the communities that host them, to have access to Internet connectivity.
“As the report makes clear, the lack of connectivity among those displaced from their homes, and often their countries, is particularly acute. Nearly half of all refugees — about 32 million people — don’t use the Internet. Those who do may not make full use of its capabilities, because of factors such as a lack of key government applications and little native language support,” writes Larry Downes, project director at the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy, in the Washington Post.
The “Global Broadband Plan for Refugee Inclusion” analyzes “the multi-faceted context of improving connectivity for refugees. It spells out collective goals and actions necessary for progress, and identifies specific roles for governments, multilateral organizations, the private sector and NGO stakeholders.”
The project is managed by leading experts on broadband policy and practice and funded by USA for UNHCR, Tent.org, and the World Bank.
Additional information about the effort is available here.
The Immigration and Refugee News Digest 