Mass Communication Assessment of Syrian Refugees in Camps

"It is crucial that all populations affected by the Syrian crisis, including those currently staying in the KRI [Kurdistan Region of Iraq] are adequately informed about the services available to them and/or know how to contact aid providers in order to seek assistance, give feedback or make complaints about the quality of services."

The REACH Initiative was mobilised by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to facilitate an assessment of mass communication means used by Syrian refugees in camps and camp-like settings across the governorates of Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Overall, this assessment supports the efforts of aid actors operational in Iraq in implementing the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Commitments on Accountability to Affected Populations (CAAP), which broadly aim to create a system-wide culture of accountability in humanitarian contexts. It is meant to provide data on which media could be used to more effectively reach Syrian refugees living in camps and settlements in the KRI.

Data collection (household-level interviews and focus group discussions, or FGDs) took place from June 1-18 2014 and covered 8 refugee camps and transit sites (Akre, Arbat Transit, Basirma, Darashakran, Domiz, Domiz II, Kawergosk, and Qushtapa) across all 3 governorates of the KRI. In total, 729 households and 18 FGD were assessed. The assessment focused on the level of awareness amongst Syrian refugees in camps and camp-like settings on a range on communication topics, including information needs, languages, types of communications, as well as which media are used by the refugee populations to receive information and which mass communication channels they would like to see used more frequently.

In terms of key information needs, information about job vacancies was the most reported information gap in each camp across the KRI, stated by between 26% respondents in Akre and 67% in Darashakran. Other types of information sought related to the distribution of humanitarian assistance and refugee rights. Humanitarian agencies typically provide information through posters on information boards, visit tents, and hand out pamphlets. However, it appears that there is little forum for bilateral engagement where refugees can request specific information. FGD participants perceived that they often requested information from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) but seldom received a response. Participants in Domiz II explained that they often resort to their speaking with their mukhtar (community or sector lead) who in turn contacts aid providers for them. Overall, women in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah camps were better informed than men about how to find information on assistance and services, as well as services for persons with disabilities. This may be linked to the higher number of activities in camps designed for women than men, such as women's centres and listening centres. FGD participants claimed that all refugees know how to register their children for school, and that almost all know how to renew their residency cards.

Although FGDs corroborated that refugees do not have many sources of information in the camp, participants indicated that they generally feel that they know about developments in their camp. Overwhelmingly (84% across the KRI), households reported face-to-face communications as their primary method of receiving public information directed at camp residents. Similarly, FGDs highlighted neighbours, mukhtars, section managers, NGO staff, and word of mouth as their key sources of information. FGDs showed that women gather information from neighbours slightly more often than men. The use of phone calls and television were also popular primary types of communication. Primarily, refugees call other family members living elsewhere and friends. In turn, more than 90% of households in almost all the camps watch television. The FGDs illustrated that most refugees watch the news channel Rudaw (Kurdish Regional Government news channel), as well as Zagros TV and Gali Kurdistan, because the content can focus on refugees in the KRI. Many households also watch Al-Arabiya and Al Jazeera channels for news about Syria. It was stressed that these channels are useful because the presenters use the same dialect as many refugees in camp, Krmanji. Otherwise, text messaging SMS through mobile phones, radio, newspapers, magazines, loudspeakers, and Facebook accounted for only 2% of respondents' primary forms of communication. Sixty-four percent of refugee households also reported secondary types of communication. Phone calls were most frequently cited (except in Arbat transit site). Boards, posters, and leaflets were also commonly cited as secondary modes of communication, both in FGD and the household-level survey.

The majority (65%) of households across the KRI reported having no internet access. When asked reasons for not using the internet, 50% of respondents explained that they lacked money for internet credit. Ten percent of households in Darashakran and Qushtapa cited a lack of network access. Moreover, of those not using the internet, 44% of households in Domiz and Domiz II reported that they did not know how to use it. FGD participants emphasised that it is especially difficult for persons with disabilities to access the internet. However, findings from FGDs revealed a common perception that most refugee households are able to regularly access the internet through cell phones or portable USB internet devices, such as those provided by the KRI-based telecommunication company Reber World. From the discussions, it appeared that few households own mobile computers. Most users access the internet in order to stay in touch with relatives abroad and to read the news. In general, men reported using internet more than women. A majority of respondents stated that they would like to receive more online information designed for refugees in camps.

Between 10% and 40% of assessed households in all the camps reported that they would prefer using a different channel of communication to access information. Ninety percent of households across the KRI have reported that they would be interested in a radio programme tailored to refugees. Households would like to listen to a news-style programme, about events and developments in their camp, as well as the overall refugee situation in the KRI and updates on Syria. Many Syrian refugee households in Duhok camps who did not already list using phone calls reported that they would prefer to use calls if they could choose another type of communication. With regard to written means of communication, 25% of Syrian households in Arbat transit site were not already using boards and posters but would prefer to use these more often in order to access information. Oral mass communication using loudspeakers was often preferred as an additional method of communication in Erbil governorate. Other methods suggested by the household-level survey, such as text messaging though mobiles phones, Facebook, and other internet sources, accounted for 13% across the KRI.

"In order to better inform humanitarian mass communications in Syrian refugee camps across the KRI, REACH has identified the following suggested priority interventions in collaboration with the UNHCR:

• Share more information on employment opportunities, provision of aid and refugee rights...
• Ensure information shared with Syrian refugee populations is available in Kurdish and Arabic in each camp across the KRI...
• Strengthen coordination and collaboration between refugee community leaders and aid workers. According to this assessment, word of mouth and face to face conversations were the most frequently used methods of communication in camps. The majority of households in camps in all three governorates seemed satisfied with their primary method of communication and would not change it.
• Consider establishing a radio programme for refugees...
• Consider increasing the support for provision of internet in camps....Moreover, as those who did not know how to use the internet indicated that they would like to learn, the possibility of hosting capacity-building training workshops for internet usage in camps could be explored."