Attachments
Introduction
It is a shocking reality that one in 95 people worldwide have been forced to flee their home. This figure has doubled com-pared to ten years ago and the numbers are predicted to rise due to inter-related factors such as food insecurity, conflict, political instability, poverty and climate change. The COVID-19 crisis affected the world on an unimaginable scale, increasing forcible displacement and deepening vulnerabilities and inequalities.1 For people affected by displacement, communication is critical—it is a lifeline.
The term “communication” is broad. It is a means for people to access accurate and vital information, connect with others, voice their concerns and perspectives, and enter into a dialogue with those around them. It is a fundamental human right as set out in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: the right to freedom of opinion and expression.2 Communication is a critical component of humanitarian action that is essential for people to participate in decision making about the services and assistance they receive from aid providers, as well as manage their own self-recovery, whether they are forcibly displaced or part of the host community.
Often what happens in practice is that information hierarchies inherent in large institutions can play out in operational environments, so aid providers are responsible for communication and people in need of assistance can face obstacles to voice their opinions and be heard. This dynamic is changing with an increasing number of projects and initiatives that follow equity-based communication models, enabling people affected by displacement to lead initiatives and put forward their perspec-tives. There are many examples of community radio, participatory video and citizen journalism projects that provide training, support and equipment for refugees, internally displaced per-sons (IDPs) and migrants, to help them to play an active role in communication activities and society more generally. These initiatives positively disrupt the traditional notions of “communi-cator”, “audience”, “speaker” and “listener”, giving agency and control to the people historically perceived as the “recipient”, “target audience” or “beneficiary”.
The role of media in its broadest sense as a platform, discipline and tool is to create communication channels, give access to reliable information, provide a space for dialogue and ensure people are represented and heard. However, media as a discipline is still perceived narrowly to broadcast information, limit-ing the possibilities of creating opportunity for people affected by displacement to have agency and opportunity.
This paper highlights projects that utilize and engage media expansively to support equitable communication and information sharing. The case studies provide key insights into differ-ent communication models and participatory methods. Each section offers a recommendation, drawing on best practice, to increase opportunities for people affected by displacement to have a say and lead communication initiatives or activities through media.