Landlocked in West Africa, Niger faces a tumultuous refugee crisis and brings many humanitarian challenges – food insecurity, internal displacement, and more. UNHCR reports that there are over 580,000 people of concern in Niger – including 48 per cent internally displaced people and 43 per cent refugees. UNHCR and UNV collaborated on the deployment of 100 online volunteers to raise awareness of our collective responsibility for the rights of refugees through a social media campaign.
One hundred Online Volunteers were deployed with UNHCR for almost two months on a campaign that ended this week. Almost all of them were nationals of Niger.
Through social media posts, they raised awareness of the rights of refugees in Niger and addressed Sustainable Development Goal 10, reducing inequalities. The posts further highlighted the urgent need to find solutions for refugees in the country – mostly from Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria.
These Online Volunteers defined the target audience of this campaign through an analysis of primary research. Once the audience was pinpointed, tools were developed to focus on the target group. This included diverse and engaging social media posts in English and French.
Twitter, Instagram and Facebook posts relayed thought-provoking content on the plight of refugees in Niger. At least one social media post went live, each day of the campaign.
This social media campaign ended on 14 August 2023. Through its awareness outreach, the campaign drew global attention to our collective responsibility for the rights of refugees to an inclusive and better life.
