Digital Equity: How Will Rapid Digitization Impact Migrant and Refugee Inclusion? (webinar recording)

I was honoured to be asked to participate in the recent MPI Europe conference Social Innovation for Refugee Inclusion (SI4RI): Sowing Innovation in the Cracks of Crisis.

I spoke on a panel with Josephine Goube, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Techfugees for Impact, and Imad Elabdala, Founder, Hero2B and Kidnovation. Our Moderator was Jasmijn Slootjes, Senior Policy Analyst, MPI Europe.

Our focus was to discuss:

• What lessons can recent innovations provide on how to advance migrant and refugee inclusion through digital services—particularly in a context of social and physical distancing?
• What limitations, challenges, and inequities should social innovators in civil society, the private sector, and government keep in mind when exploring the potential of tech for inclusion?
• What investments are necessary to ensure that digitization does not lead to widening inequalities in diverse communities and societies?
• How can we prevent a proliferation of short-lived, fragmented digital tools and tech solutions—thus improving sustainability, quality, and impact?

We had a great discussion, including some excellent Q&A from participants. You can watch the entire session below:

You can check out the conference agenda and watch all sessions on the conference website: conference Social Innovation for Refugee Inclusion (SI4RI): Sowing Innovation in the Cracks of Crisis.

This session might also be of particular interest:

Innovation Within Government. Rethinking and Modernizing Integration Policy. The panel included David Cashaback, Senior Director, Settlement and Integration Policy, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).