Connectivity as Aid at HNPW
At this year’s Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks (HNPW) in Geneva, the ETC convened a panel to explore a central question for emergency telecommunications and affected communities: is Connectivity as Aid a right in itself that links people to information, services and opportunity, or is it primarily an enabler that strengthens humanitarian operations and service delivery?
Experts from UNHCR, UNICEF and IOM joined the discussion to examine where these perspectives converge and what they mean for the future of meaningful connectivity in crises.
The conversation highlighted the gaps that persist, the operational dilemmas responders continue to navigate, and the collective responsibility to design connectivity solutions that work in the most challenging environments, not only the most accessible ones.