Refugees and Social Inclusion: The Role of Humanitarian Information Technologies

One of the most nefarious consequences of violent conflicts is forced displacement. Refugee crises have impacts on both the refugees’ place of origin (e.g., loss of human capital) and the places where they resettle (e.g., demands on health systems). Humanitarian information technologies (IT) can be used to collect, process and analyze information that may contribute to improving the livelihoods of refugees. This chapter summarizes the role of humanitarian IT in assisting refugees or organizations that provide services to them in the four steps of the refugee pathway: displacement (e.g., collecting information about the current situation), journey (e.g., providing information about the closest services on a map), temporary settlement (e.g., monitoring health programs of refugee camps), and permanent settlement (e.g., processing refugee resettlement in a new country).