Digital Access and Barriers in Displacement-affected Communities in White Nile, Sudan

A report on Digital Access and Barriers in Displacement-affected Communities in White Nile, Sudan highlights mobile phone usage among South Sudanese refugees and host communities, revealing disparities in ownership based on gender, disability, and age. Cost is identified as the primary barrier to phone ownership.

GSMA published a report that examines the Digital Access and Barriers in Displacement-affected Communities in White Nile, Sudan. The report, which identifies the results of a Connectivity, Needs and Usage Assessment (CoNUA), highlights the degree to which South Sudanese refugees, as well as the communities who host them, have access to and make use of mobile phones. It also explores key barriers to digital inclusion within these groups and how stakeholders can address them. According to the report, most people have access to a mobile phone, with a majority owning one. More refugees than host community members own an internet-enabled handset. Yet, women, persons with disabilities (in the refugee sample) and older people were all significantly less likely to own a mobile phone. The most significant barrier to owning a phone in both communities is cost.