There are 65 million refugees and internally displaced people in the world today. On average, today's refugees have been displaced from their homes for 17 years. In today’s digital world connectivity is critical for everyone.

1. Connecting Refugees:
How internet and mobile connectivity can improve
refugee well-being and transform humanitarian action

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In today’s digital world
connectivity is
critical for everyone
There are
65 million refugees
and internally displaced
people in the world today
On average, today's
refugees have been
displaced from their
homes for 17 years
For refugees connectivity is critical for survival:
+ For safety and security
+ For community-based protection
+ For education
+ For health
+ For rebuilding and sustaining a living
The importance of refugee connectivity

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Three Key Barriers to Refugee Connectivity
Affordability of Devices
and Plans
Refugees have difficulty
working, hindering their ability
to afford connectivity
Availability of Networks
in Rural Areas
20% of rural refuges have no
mobile coverage at all – 2X that of
the global population living without
coverage
Usability of Devices
and the Internet
Refugees often lack digital
and/or language literacy to
make use of connectivity

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Refugee vs Global Population Mobile Network Coverage
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Refugees Global Population
Rural
Refugees Global Population
Urban
Refugees Global Population
Total
Availability of networks in rural areas is limited
No Coverage 2G 3G+

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Refugee household
phone ownership
Global household
phone ownership
VS.
Affordability constraints restrict mobile phone
penetration
Households with an
internet enabled phone
Households with
a basic phone
Households without
a phone
39%
32%
29%
75%
13%
12%

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0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Largest Barriers to Internet Use
Device Affordability
Poor Literacy
Plan Affordability (Voice/Data)
Network Signal Strength
Understanding Phone Plan Options
No content in local languages
Difficulty charging mobile phones
Lack of need or interest
Inability to operate a mobile phone
Lack of awareness on how to access mobile phones
Regulatory restrictions
Restrictions from family on using phones
Security/Privacy concerns
Availability
Affordability
Usability
Usability challenges arise due to language
and digital literacy issues
Number of responses out of 95 UNHCR refugee sites surveyed

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Benefits for private sector
partners:
• Incremental revenue
opportunities from new
paying subscribers
• Increased employee
engagement through staff
volunteer programmes
• Ability to pilot new business
models in a controlled low-
resource setting
UNHCR will collaborate with
relevant partners to provide
sustainable connectivity for
refugees and identify the
required resources to lead the
planning, execution, and
monitoring of implementation. REFUGEE &
HOST COMMUNITIES
PRIVATE
SECTOR
INSTITUTIONAL
DONORS
NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS
HOST
GOVERNMENTS
UNHCR
Partnering for Impact: Importance of the Private Sector

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1. Enhance
Mobile Network
Operator
infrastructure
2. Collaborate with
Governments to
expand network
infrastructure and
access
3. Collaborate with
Mobile Network
Operators and other
technology/
communications
companies to improve
infrastructure
4. Make targeted
investments in
infrastructure
Ten strategic interventions: Availability

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5. Negotiate
refugee-specific
plans and discounts
6. Subsidize
devices and
mobile/internet plans
7. Deploy and expand
community internet-
access centers
Ten strategic interventions: Affordability

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8. Develop and implement
training programs
9. Enable an ecosystem
for
digital service
delivery
10. Facilitate
development of
refugee-relevant
content
Ten strategic interventions: Usability

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Julian before Connectivity
• Cannot continue his
university studies or work
• Suffers from anxiety and
feels isolated as he is unable to
keep in touch with his family in Burundi
• Did not know there was a deadly
Cholera outbreak in his section
of the camp
• Has to wait half a day for food
• Walks over 5 km across the
camp to fulfill his volunteering
responsibilities
• Is vulnerable
to groups seeking to exploit him
Julian with Connectivity
• Can access education and mobile
literacy programs allowing him to
generate more income
• Is able to maintain links with his family
• Can receive bulk texts from peers,
the government, or NGOs about key issues
• Can make the most of mobile cash
distribution, mobile health alerts and online
learning
• Can fulfill volunteering
responsibilities remotely
• Experiences increased self-reliance
and safety by being well-informed
Julian, 26 - Nyarugusu rural refugee camp, Tanzania

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Methodology
The research findings are based on a first-of-its-kind assessment of refugee connectivity needs and usage.
This global assessment included surveys of and interviews with UNHCR staff and refugees as well as
geospatial mapping of global network coverage. The findings are informed by: (i) direct feedback from 238
refugees through 20 focus groups in 10 countries; (ii) survey responses from 95 UNHCR offices
representing 44 countries and more than 3 million refugees; (iii) in-person interviews with more than 30
UNHCR and partner NGO staff from five countries; (iv) analysis of proprietary mobile network coverage
data; and (v) refugee demographic data from UNHCR and the public domain. The findings not only shed
light on the extent to which refugees have access to connectivity, but also highlight the positive impact that
connectivity has on the well-being of refugees. This assessment was carried out by Accenture Development
Partnerships, the international development sector practice of Accenture, for UNHCR, the UN Refugee
Agency.
Read the summary report
Join the conversation @Refugees
Contact:
Alan Vernon, UNHCR Connectivity Project Lead, vernon@unhcr.org
Thomas Abell, Accenture Development Partnerships, thomas.e.abell@accenture.com
Prat Panda, Accenture Development Partnerships, p.panda@accenture.com
Photo images courtesy of UNHCR