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The digital exclusion of refugees and IDPs in Sudan
  • Wala Mohammed
  • May 2024
Internally displaced and living with relatives in White Nile State, Sudan. Credit: UNHCR/Ala Kheir

Being left behind in a digital world can be devastating for forced migrants. This article reflects on the digital exclusion that refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) face in Sudan due to the repercussions of ongoing restrictions on accessing technology.

The civil war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has displaced more than 8 million people. As a result of this devastating conflict, acute food insecurity, disease outbreaks, civilian displacement and livelihood destruction, the entire country is in a state of near collapse.

Millions of Sudanese people have lost their livelihoods due to the conflict. The war has halted production and destroyed human capital and state capacities. Moreover, it has impacted financial stability by bringing down commerce, financial, and information and communications technology services. Data centre operators have lost access to their data and facilities, causing several essential internet-related services to go down. Sudan’s Internet Society chapter reported that only 12% of Sudan’s .sd Country Code Top Level Domain websites and services were functional as of June 16, 2023.

Before the war, the informal sector comprised nearly 60% of the workforce; since war broke out many have lost their livelihoods and have no form of social protection. The number of children out of school has also increased from seven million to 19 million.

The connection between economic sanctions and digital exclusion in Sudan

The undertaking of economic and trade sanctions impedes the free flow of digital communications and technologies that activists, innovators and ordinary users of these technologies so desperately need.

Sudan has been isolated from the international community since 1993, when it was designated a state sponsor of terrorism by the US government. In 1997 the US issued an executive order imposing comprehensive economic sanctions on Sudan. An international license issued by the US in 2015 for access to certain software, hardware and services related to personal communication alleviated the sanctions to some degree but some service providers chose not to apply for the relevant licenses to export services to Sudan because obtaining them could be difficult and required periodic renewal.

The sanctions around communication technologies were lifted in 2015, the trade embargo was lifted in 2017, and Sudan was removed from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list in 2020. Despite this, Sudanese people’s access to technological and financial services remains limited. There is a long list of software, technology and equipment that are still restricted. Furthermore big tech companies do not include Sudan on their lists of regions that can access services such as Google Workspace, Microsoft Azure, Azure Government and Microsoft Office 365, as well as online courses, platforms and other global services.

The exclusion of the whole nation from accessing wider opportunities to generate income during the ongoing war in Sudan will push more families below the poverty line.

The digital exclusion of IDPs and refugees in Sudan

In Sudan, a protracted economic crisis is accompanied by pre-existing conflicts in some regions. Before April 2023, 15.8 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance; at the time of writing the number in need of humanitarian assistance had grown to 24.8 million with eight million people forcibly displaced as a result of the current war.

Digital labour platforms offer one means by which displaced people can establish a livelihood. They are particularly beneficial to groups of workers who have traditionally been disadvantaged and faced barriers to accessing the labour market, such as women, disabled people, young people, refugees, migrants, and people of minority racial and ethnic backgrounds. But, displaced people in Sudan face major challenges in joining digital labour platforms, due to the isolation of banks in Sudan from the international banking systems, as well as Sudan not being listed in most of the digital labour platforms such as Upwork and Fiver. Some platforms stipulate in their terms of agreement that they do not permit people from countries that are subject to sanctions to register.

Refugees and other forcibly displaced persons around the world face challenges accessing basic services involving technology, such as SIM registration, mobile phone connectivity and bank accounts, and Sudan is no exception. The requirements outlined in the country’s laws and regulations on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism create legal barriers for refugees and asylum-seekers in accessing formal financial institutions, mobile money and other digital financial services. These problems are interconnected. Not having a place to put their money makes forcibly displaced people very vulnerable.

Sudanese law requires SIM cards to be registered using a recognised identity document (ID). Currently, Sudanese refugee ID cards do not meet the identity requirement to register a SIM card. Many refugees and asylum seekers gain access to SIM cards through friends and family members who have an acceptable form of ID, others through mobile network operator agents, and others through humanitarian organisations that distribute SIM cards registered in bulk under their name.

Although there are formal and informal workarounds to the SIM registration requirement as well as for accessing financial services, including mobile money, these workarounds are inferior to having a legal framework that is open and inclusive. As humanitarian organisations engage in cash assistance, workarounds carry risks and liabilities and discourage true financial inclusion for the affected populations. Thus, economic sanctions can severely affect humanitarian aid funding and delivery in various ways.

Recommendations to improve digital access in Sudan and elsewhere

Restrictions on accessing technology and government policies are affecting IDPs’ and refugees’ access to online labour platforms, SIM cards and other services. With the ongoing war in Sudan, there will be an increase in the number of people who need humanitarian assistance while the delivery of aid will be challenging, with many regions becoming inaccessible for security reasons. Increased access to the internet and mobile technology can help marginalised groups to improve their conditions and ability to enjoy their rights, including accessing education, livelihood opportunities and information. The Sudanese authorities should work on facilitating access to SIM cards for refugees and marginalised communities by updating the NTC’s General Regulations 2012.

There is a crucial need for warring factions and telecommunications actors to maintain communication networks in times of conflict since disruptions limit citizens’ access to information and undermine media freedom and freedom of expression. Furthermore, disruptions hamper citizens’ access to essential services and safe havens, as well as hindering the effectiveness of humanitarian efforts.

Political and economic stability is key to addressing developmental and human rights issues in Sudan. The international community must remain committed to ending Sudan’s ongoing conflict, promoting peace, freedom and justice, as well as supporting its transition toward a civilian-led government. The repercussions of past sanctions are stillbeing felt, restricting the ability of the Sudanese population to afford and access technologies that contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The International Community could learn from this and shift towards using more targeted sanctions on countries in the future. In relation to Sudan, they should also work on easing access to the wider services that are blocked even after the economic sanctions are lifted.

 

Wala Mohammed
Independent Researcher & Founder of Hopes & Actions Foundation

wala.ahmed@outlook.com  linkedin.com/in/wala-mohammed-b01858ab/

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