Refugees in the Digital Economy

Abstract

The current scale and duration of displacement prompts renewed urgency about livelihoods prospects for displaced people and the role of humanitarian organisations in fostering them. This special issue focuses on how aid organisations, together with the private sector and other actors, have worked to include refugees in new forms of online work within the web-based digital economy. Building on comparative analysis and a comprehensive review of the field of digital livelihoods among the forcibly displaced, in this introductory article we argue that including refugees in this digital economy is currently neither a sustainable form of humanitarian relief nor is it a development solution that provides large-scale decent work. We show how digital livelihoods approaches have gained a special footing in the middle ground between short-term economic relief and long-term development. Indeed, digital economies seemingly offer a variety of ‘quick-fix’ solutions at the transition from humanitarian emergency towards long-term development efforts. While digital economies harbour significant potential, this cannot be fully realised unless current efforts to include refugees in digital economies are complemented by efforts to address digital divides, uphold refugees’ rights, and ensure more decent working conditions.

Assessing Refugee Preferences for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) Solutions in Irbid Camp and Sakhra Region: Cultivated Roofs and Refrigerators as Food Banks Interventions

“…Their findings point to the need for a more inclusive approach to humanitarian interventions during urban displacement crises. These studies call for more nuanced, inclusive refugee policymaking and intervention design strategies [27].…”

“…This echoes the study wherein Syrian refugees demonstrated a positive attitude towards blended learning, a transformative approach to achieving academic objectives. Additionally, the research underlines the importance of crafting interventions specific to refugees' needs and demographic profiles, an approach also advocated by the authors of [27] in addressing urban displacement crises. This study identifies challenges that could hinder specific interventions and proposes potential solutions that can lead to a more efficient and effective implementation, ultimately maximizing their impact in achieving zero hunger.…”