More than one million migrants and refugees have crossed into Europe since 2015, sparking an unprecedented crisis, as countries struggle to cope with the influx. The magnitude of this humanitarian crisis has highlighted the critical importance of connectivity for displaced people and the relative challenge for them to access mobile services during the different phases of their journey.
At the latest GSMA Europe Mobile Meeting Series on Connectivity as a Lifeline: Empowering Refugees to Improve Their Own Lives, participants discussed how mobile technologies and services can help migrants travel to, and settle in, a new country. Mobile technologies have proven to be a lifeline for refugees, as they plan and navigate their journeys and integrate into new European countries.
Ensuring continued access to mobile services along each segment of this journey is essential. Migrants need access to the right information from reliable sources, to avoid becoming the victims of human trafficking, for example. Migrants also need connectivity during their transit to find their way, and to communicate with friends and family. Upon arriving in the destination country, mobile apps and online portals can provide access to vital information about public services, such as healthcare and education, as well as delivering essential skills and language training.
Attendees at the meeting noted that ensuring displaced people have the ability to use mobile technology to its full potential is not straightforward. A number of challenges exist – on one side – access, usage and affordability of mobile devices, SIM cards and data plans, and – on the other – data protection, security and identity. Although the mobile industry has made strides to overcome some of these barriers by investing in infrastructure and specific products and services for refugees, more needs to be done. Developing synergies between the mobile industry, humanitarian sector and policymakers will help to guarantee access to mobile connectivity, improve displaced people’s lives and ease their integration process into new cultures and communities.
Participants in the debate agreed that private sector companies should work with humanitarian organisations to address the short-term emergency, but should also prioritise long-term, sustainable solutions that meet the connectivity needs of millions of refugees and displaced populations. Policymakers need to build a legal framework supporting technological innovation, enabling the development of multi-lingual web portals, for example, to provide trustworthy information to migrants. It is also essential that policymakers educate local people on how refugees can be assets to local communities. All stakeholders must work together, sharing best practice examples of how leveraging mobile technology can serve people in crisis situations in the most effective manner.
For more information about what the GSMA Disaster Response programme is doing to support the role of mobile connectivity in addressing the refugee crisis, visit the Refugees and Connectivity website here and read the GSMA inaugural Annual Report, which tracks the progress of the Humanitarian Connectivity Charter.