UNHCR Innovation

From Dialogue to Action at #MWCKigali2025 Last week, UNHCR’s Connectivity for Refugees initiative joined partners and leaders across Africa at Mobile World Congress Kigali 2025 to drive one shared goal: digital inclusion for all. 📢 UNHCR Representative in Rwanda took the stage to highlight how connectivity empowers displaced communities — opening doors to education, livelihoods, and safety. 🤝 Together with partners like MTN Group and Ericsson, we explored new ways to strengthen public–private collaboration and expand access to connectivity for refugees and their host communities. Because for millions forced to flee, digital inclusion isn’t a “nice to have”. It’s a lifeline. We’re proud to be turning dialogue into action and continuing to work with partners to ensure no one is left offline. GSMA - Mobile for Development International Telecommunication Union Ericsson MTN UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency Ayub Osman Lars Rüdiger Ritu Shroff Marina Madale Emmanuel Chifuel Manasseh Christine Sund Dulip Tillekeratne Carol Gitobu John Warnes Hovig Etyemezian Betty Wang

⚡ As digital technologies increasingly underpin humanitarian work, protecting personal data has never been more important.    That’s the focus of the new edited volume “Data Protection in Humanitarian Action: Responding to Crises in a Data-Driven World” — out now! 📘    In their chapter, UNHCR Innovation’s John Warnes and Betty Wang explore how humanitarian practitioners delivering connectivity as aid can anticipate and manage data protection and digital security challenges in a fast-changing telecoms landscape.    John Warnes and Betty Wang spearhead the multistakeholder Connectivity for Refugees initiative – a collaboration by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, International Telecommunication Union, the GSMA and the Government of Luxembourg (Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade) that seeks to advance the availability and affordability of connectivity for 20 million forcibly displaced people and their host communities by 2030.    This book marks:  🔵 the 10th anniversary of the International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency data protection regulatory frameworks  🔵 the 2015 Global Privacy Assembly Resolution on Privacy and International Humanitarian Action.     It highlights how #DataProtection is not only a matter of regulatory compliance, but also a core enabler of responsible and effective #HumanitarianAction.    A huge thank you to editors Ana Beduschi, Massimo Marelli, and Aaron Martin for elegantly bringing together so many different perspectives on this important topic.     👉 Read the open access book: https://lnkd.in/eTxgxnc5   👀 Learn about Connectivity for Refugees here: https://lnkd.in/eNZ6Wse8

This week, UNHCR, OCHA, UNICEF and ICRC joined WFP Innovation Accelerator at the Humanitarian Innovation Accelerator Pitch Event hosted at the Luxembourg Venture Days. Eight remarkable ventures were selected to showcase how their innovations , spanning areas such as financial inclusion for refugees, connectivity, predictive analytics, and anticipatory action , can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian operations.   Among these was Wayru Network, which is exploring blockchain-powered Wi-Fi networks that deliver affordable and reliable internet to underserved and remote communities. Supported by both WFP and UNHCR in different contexts, this initiative has enabled refugees and host communities to access critical communication channels and life-saving information, while helping the startup grow and scale its impact.   As we look toward UN80, these kinds of partnerships highlight the power of collective innovation in building a more connected, efficient, and inclusive humanitarian system for all. 🌍 Charvel Chedraui Jose Alcocer Nathalie Rami

🎮 On #WorldGamingDay, we remember: play makes us human. Play helps us heal, get inspired, and prepare for the challenges ahead! For refugees, safe spaces to connect, learn, and play shouldn’t be a luxury. Gaming is a way of restoring hope, rebuilding community, and supporting mental health in times of crisis. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eWDAeGqA

It’s World Food Day! 🍲 This year’s theme, #HandinHandforBetterFoods, immediately brings to mind the remarkable work being done by refugees and other forcibly displaced people around the world to build a better food future for themselves and their host communities.   Globally, a majority of refugees live in climate-vulnerable areas and face food insecurity. Yet, through collaboration with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, national governments, and local partners, displaced communities are leading the way.    🥕 From worm-farming to produce compost, community gardening, sustainable sprout farming, and climate-resilient agriculture, to biofencing that protects crops and digital solutions that fight food waste – these displaced innovators are leading the way toward a sustainable, prosperous, and food-secure future. Together, they’re showing what’s possible when we work hand in hand for better foods. 🤝 Kalobeyei Initiative for Better Life (KI4BLI); Association Of Refugee Women in Uganda; UNIDOS (Paulinho Muzaliwa); Juan Martín Zuleta Zárate, Refugee Coalition for Climate Action

🌊 Turning data into protection, across borders. “If I had known it would be this hard, I wouldn’t have taken the risk.” The new Evidence to Action Brief on the Western Indian Ocean Route — made possible through our Data Innovation Fund — sheds light on one of the least-documented mixed movement corridors in Africa. Produced in collaboration with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), the study connects data, protection, and operational realities to better understand the risks faced by refugees and migrants on the move. Behind every data point is a person, often moving with limited options and high risks. Insights like these help transform evidence into actionable protection responses, truly bringing innovation to life. 📘 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eA8DGTWC

When Selim heard through a loudspeaker that broken electronics could be repaired at the Green Innovation Hub in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, he decided to give it a try. “My old fan was not working. After hearing about repair on the mic, I brought it here today. Now it’s working, and I don’t need to buy a new one for the hot days.” This simple act — bringing in a fan to be fixed — reflects something much bigger. ♻️ Today, on International E-Waste Day 2025, the Green Innovation Hub, supported by our Environment and Climate Action Innovation Fund, joined our partners at NGO Forum for Public Health to celebrate the power of repair, reuse, and community-led sustainability. Under this year’s theme “Recycle your e-waste – it’s critical!” community members came together to collect and repair electronic waste. Old appliances found new life, and e-waste that couldn’t be fixed was responsibly recycled. From restoring fans to exchanging e-waste for tree saplings, the day showcased how innovation and collective effort can turn waste into opportunity — helping build greener, more resilient communities even in refugee camps. 🌱 Learn more about the project findings 👉 https://lnkd.in/eD2V79_j

How can digital innovation stay resilient in a +1.5ºC world? Join us! As global temperatures rise beyond +1.5ºC, refugees and displaced people on the frontlines of climate change are already adapting in remarkable ways. Join us at #BlueEarthSummit as we explore how digital innovation can stay resilient in a changing climate and help build sustainable, inclusive futures in fragile and conflict-affected settings. We’ll be part of an expert panel discussing how digitally enabled, climate-resilient solutions can be designed with and led by forcibly displaced communities, ensuring no one is left behind in the transition to a more resilient world. 📅 Thursday 16 October | 11:30am (UK time) 📍 Woolwich Works, The Fireworks Factory, London SE18 6HD We’ll explore: ⚡ How climate shocks affect digital tools & humanitarian programmes 🌦️ Innovation in early warning, response & climate insurance 🤝 What needs to change in design, deployment & partnerships to build resilience and inclusion for all Our very own Tala Budziszewski, Innovation Officer at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency will join the panel of experts, that includes: Kimberly Brown, Head of Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation, Mobile for Development - GSMA Walter Saunders, Technology Officer, INER - Vodafone Foundation Philippine Vernes, Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships - Humanity Insured Joe Griffin, Head of Sustainability - Vodafone Foundation Lisa Felton, Managing Director - Vodafone Foundation 🎟️ Join us for this vital conversation on tech & climate resilience - you can apply for your free day ticket: https://luma.com/km0y8uka

Taking care of one another has never been more important. 💙 In a time of shrinking resources and growing pressure, we’re proud to be enabling solutions that support colleagues’ mental health this #WorldMentalHealthDay. This new psychosocial risk management tool, developed with support from our Data Innovation Fund, is helping identify and address workplace stressors — building more resilient and supportive environments for colleagues around the world. A great example of innovation serving people UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. 🫂 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eA2twmgi

Despite facing some of the most adverse conditions, refugees are not just adapting to the climate crisis — they are helping to shape the solutions. 🌱 In Kenya, Kenza’s sprout farming project is boosting food security and dignity through climate resilient strategies. 🧵 In Ethiopia, traditional crafts are being used to develop improved insulation for temporary shelters, relieving the impacts of extreme heat and providing income-generating opportunities for women.    💧 In Malawi, the RapidShield parametric insurance initiative delivered $400,000 in drought payouts to 3,673 refugee and host households, giving families a safety net when climate shocks hit. As the newly released UNHCR Climate Action Results Report shows, these initiatives are powerful examples of how innovation strengthens our mandate to protect, adapt and deliver lasting solutions for those forced to flee. 📖 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ehhPc6yR Hovig Etyemezian Nathalie Rami Tala Budziszewski Esmé O'Keeffe Joelle Eid Fatima Tavera Navarro Grau