Health Communication for Displaced Populations| Digital Inequality and Resilience in Humanitarian Refugee Organizations

Abstract

We explore resilience and digital inequality within refugee-oriented humanitarian organizations during COVID-19. Interview data show that individual and organizational digital inequality are interdependent and that ICTs can serve as both facilitators and barriers to resilience. Individual employees and refugees mitigated digital inequality that significantly hampered organizational operation, yet such efforts unveil a tension where digitally proficient individuals may encounter disruptions in their routine work, jeopardizing organizational resilience. We contribute to existing research about resilience and ICTs by showcasing how digital inequality emerges as an interdependent disruption to individuals and organizations. This necessitates systemic interventions to alleviate technological cleavages to bolster the resilience of refugees and the organizations serving them.