DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION
STRATEGY

2022—2026

Strengthening protection,
building self-reliance and
optimizing delivery

The Digital Transformation Strategy provides a unified vision and approach to realizing the rights of refugees to digital inclusion and protection. It also guides UNHCR in reshaping our use of digital channels and associated technology to achieve our strategic objectives.

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Our digital transformation vision

UNHCR’s vision is for the communities we serve to have the digital skills, agency, and tools to safely engage in today’s digital world, to access inclusive services, achieve greater self-reliance and protection, and to have a greater voice in the decisions that impact their lives.

To achieve this, UNHCR’s supporting vision is to transform the way it works, innovating digitally to create efficiencies, improve knowledge sharing, engagement and collaboration, mobilize resources and increase our impact.

our vision
digital transformation vision

Priority outcomes

UNHCR’s Digital Transformation Strategy sets out five priority outcome areas, both externally impacting the people we serve as well as internally impacting our way of working.

Priorities to create a digital future for:

The communities we serve

Digital inclusion

Communities have equitable access to digital technology and channels and can use them to pursue opportunities for lifelong learning, inclusion in the digital economy, leisure, and solutions.

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Digital protection

Communities can exercise their human rights online and are protected from digital risk, enabling them to have access to trusted channels, avoid harm and have agency in decision-making.

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Digital services

Communities have access to high quality, efficient and safe digital services from UNHCR and its partners.

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UNHCR Priorities

Digital engagement

UNHCR delivers impact-led digital engagement strategies that increase audience engagement with our work and strengthen resource mobilization, protection and solutions.

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Working digitally

UNHCR utilizes innovative digital solutions tools and builds the skills necessary to transform delivery, collaboration and knowledge sharing in order to work more efficiently and effectively.

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UNHCR Priorities

Cross-cutting approaches

To achieve progress across the five outcome areas, UNHCR will undertake several cross-cutting approaches:

1

Digital services framework & gateway

We will invest in local and national digital solutions, as well as in our global digital identity management capacity, to enable the people we serve to access online digital services.

2

Digital toolset

We will invest in the adoption and promotion of digital tools and solutions, which will empower regions to communicate, work and protect more effectively.

3

Partnerships & advocacy

We will advocate with governments, regulators and the private sector to foster inclusive and protective digital environments and approaches.

We will also partner with governments and the private sector on resource mobilization, co-creation, shared-value projects and access to expertise.

4

Capacity building

We will build capacity within UNHCR and with key external stakeholders, so that digital skills are developed and additional expert human resources are available.

5

Research & evidence

We will strengthen our evidence base through robust research and analysis, which will help us to design and implement appropriate digital services, strategies and frameworks.

Guiding principles

UNHCR will implement the strategy in line with the following guiding principles:

The strategy in action