Community based approaches

Organizations led by forcibly displaced and stateless people are critical stakeholders in deepening the contextual understanding of online information risks, their impact on individuals and communities, and critically playing a role in mitigating and addressing such risks. 

Forcibly displaced and stateless people are often well-placed to monitor online conversations in the appropriate languages and interpret the contextual implications of text, images and videos. Given their proximity to displaced and stateless communities, and their hosts, they are deeply aware of how misinformation or disinformation might increase protection risks. They often witness first-hand how polarizing content can fuel distrust and fear within and between communities but may have also developed strategies to moderate and/or mitigate this.  

In many contexts, these organizations may face barriers to formal registration and/or documentation which often inhibits their access to funding streams and their engagement in coordination fora. They may not be immediately “visible”, for example their activities not included in response mapping and/or reporting – this can cause marginalization and duplication. When funded, these organizations often receive project-based support; investing in organizational overheads and support functions is therefore challenging. These considerations must be taken into account when working with Organizations led by Displaced and/or Stateless Persons to address online information risks.  

Remove Barriers for Engagement  

• Ensure interpretation in coordination and planning meetings, if required.  
• Recognize physical access barriers participants may have, including lack of documentation to enter UN compounds, and adjust meeting locations if required. 
• Resource engagement to remove prohibitive costs. This can include data for online participation, travel costs and staff time.  

Technical Support and Capacity Building 

• Map required technical support needs – including appropriate IT equipment as necessary to support online monitoring and response; remember that equipment sharing and/or outdated devices carry inherent security risks.  
• Provide training to promote safety online, particularly when working with organizations to use digital tools in monitoring, analysis and moderation. Cover topics related to data protection and digital privacy.  
• Leverage diverse partnerships to match capacity building needs; for example, include training on monitoring software from private sector partners or conflict resolution and content moderation from Peacebuilding actors.  
• Integrate Organizations led by Displaced and/or Stateless Persons into broader trainings on Community Based Protection, Social Cohesion, Peacebuilding, Accountability to Affected People, Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse etc.  
• Resource capacity building costs – including data for remote learning.  

Manage Risks Together

• Learn from organizations in terms of their “survival strategy” in sensitive settings – listen to how they have maintained operational space and how they manage risks.  
• Schedule regular reviews to assess changing risk dynamics – for example any backlash an organization may face due to a partnership (or perceived partnership) with the UN. 
• Listen to if, when and how organizations want to engage directly with National Authorities and the media. Communicate who will be present at multi-stakeholder meetings and facilitate options for organizations to provide anonymous inputs (i.e. advocacy points shared in advance).    

Be Mindful of Perceptions and Seek Representation and Balance

• In already polarized/sensitive contexts a perceived bias towards certain organizations may exacerbate tensions: seek to engage organizations that represent different groups, including host community membership organizations and/or co-led organizations.   

Welfare  

• Recognize the evidenced mental health implications of content moderation and the specific risks these organizations may face as they analyse and moderate potentially traumatizing content related to their own communities and individual situations.  
• Work with organizations to develop systems to ameliorate this impact. This can include rotating moderation responsibility between staff to reduce exposure and burn-out.  
• Establish a system for referral and support to appropriate psychosocial services and plan frequent staff welfare awareness raising and psychosocial activities.  
• Provide feedback to organizations on the importance of their work and examples of how it has resulted in a reduction of information risks for individuals and/or communities.  
• Assess technical capabilities to reduce exposure to duplicative harmful content (i.e. through the introduction of generative artificial intelligence).  

Feedback 

• Ensure that organizations have access to multiple channels to provide feedback on the project, raise concerns and flag sensitive issues (including abuse of authority and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse).