Information communications needs assessment

An Information Communication Needs Assessment (ICNA) helps you determine which social media platforms the community is using and how, and what concerns they have.

ICNAs highlight the importance of understanding information gaps, the prevalence or absence of different communication channels, levels of literacy, trust in different channels and more. By getting a grasp of this, humanitarian responders can ensure people are receiving the timely, accurate and applicable information they need. Determining the appropriate channels of communication for various demographic groups and investing in them can help communities communicate safely and securely with whomever they need, be it diaspora, separated family members or humanitarian agencies. Dialogue with the latter helps understand feedback and complaints that can steer a humanitarian response. An ICNA normally looks at:

Information sources and habits;
Means of communication used or preferred;
Trusted sources;
Access to sources of information and information channels.

By conducting the assessment with different methods from surveys to community meetings, key informant interviews (KII) and focus group discussions, the ICNA can help you understand:

How people are accessing information (in closed or open groups);
The level of people’s understanding about the possible risks of using Social Media, and their concerns about these risks (if any);
The existence of online groups/communities that are not necessarily connected to specific or homogenous groups on the ground.

RESOURCE

UNHCR Information and Communication Needs Assessment Tool

In order to help UNHCR field operations and other humanitarian response organizations to undertake information and communication needs assessments, the UNHCR Innovation Service has developed a ‘question bank’ that can be downloaded, adapted and used by operations across a number of mobile data collection tools. This tool is built on information and communication needs assessments by actors such as the CDAC Network, ACAPS and Internews.

When considering how to provide information with and about forcibly displaced and stateless populations, the methods of engagement may vary depending on the specific situation. However staff are encouraged to consider the following factors:

Determine if UNHCR is the preferred and trusted channel for sharing information with forcibly displaced and stateless populations.
Determine if UNHCR is the preferred and trusted channel for sharing information about forcibly displaced and stateless populations.
Determine what other actors and stakeholders need to be engaged.
Consider ways to mitigate risks of information being shared from being manipulated or distorted and develop a strategy to address this.