Techfugees joined Cities of Migration online on November 23 for a conversation with Alan Vernon, Project Lead, Connectivity for Refugees, UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency to unpack UNHRC’s latest report, Connecting Refugees: How Internet and Mobile Connectivity Can Improve Refugee Well-Being and Transform Humanitarian Action.
The webinar discussed the critical role that information and communications technology plays in improving the lives of refugees from city to city.
From the lifeline of mobile connectivity to internet basics for e-registering health and other services, ICT and online platforms are providing scalable tech solutions that facilitate refugee connection and inclusion and driving enduring social innovation offline.
Schedule
The webinar started with Alan Vernon presenting UNHCR latest report on connectivity, followed by questions from Josephine, CEO of Techfugees, and a Q&A for the audience to contribute to a wider discussion.
About Alan Vernon, Project Lead, Connectivity for Refugees, UNHCR
Alan Vernon is currently the Project Lead for UNHCR’s new Connectivity for Refugees initiative. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Vernon was the Deputy-Director of the Division of Information Systems and Telecommunications in UNHCR Headquarters, the UNHCR Representative in Malaysia, and the Director for Organizational Development and Management in UNHCR Headquarters. Mr. Vernon previously served as UNHCR Representative in Sri Lanka as well as field assignments in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand.
**
Want to know more about Techfugees’ next event and how to get involved? Check with your city’s Techfugees local chapter.
Photo credits: Yemeni refugee shows his son’s picture on a mobile phone. © UNHCR/Oualid Khelifi – from UNHCR report.