In September 2020, the Délégation interministérielle à l'accueil et l'intégration des réfugiés (Diair) published a strategy for fighting the digital divide deployed around 4 axes:
- Studying usage to better understand the needs of refugees
- Improve access to computer equipment
- Improving connectivity for refugees
- To train as many people as possible in digital technology
The aim of the survey was to provide those involved in the reception and integration of refugees with a knowledge base on the digital uses of refugees and those accompanying them.
Référence :
80% of refugees surveyed go online every day
According to this survey, 80% of the refugees interviewed said they use the Internet every day. They go online mainly to contact their relatives (80%), to have fun (64%) and to complete administrative procedures (42%).- Nearly 90% of refugees surveyed use instant messaging applications
- 73% of respondents use social networks for entertainment and information (via Facebook groups or Whatsapp)
- 70% use collaborative resources (Youtube, Internet forums)
- 31 % go through specialized sites, such as the sites of the administration: OFPRA, Ofii , refugies.info...
The smartphone: the equipment equipment of choice
The vast majority of respondents own and use a smartphone (90%), and nearly half of refugee respondents also own and use a computer (47%). 75%The main sticking point in accessing computer equipment is financial: 61% of refugees report needing money to purchase equipment (out of 118 respondents).The survey data suggest a relationship between education level and refugee login frequency. The more education refugees have, the higher the frequency of logging on. 69% of refugees surveyed with higher education own a computer. Among refugees with a high school diploma or vocational training, this figure drops to 44% and then to 28% for refugees with only a high school diploma or no degree.
For those who perform administrative procedures online, the most frequently mentioned procedures are finding a job (41%), requesting help (39%) and managing and consulting bank accounts (34%). These are also the activities on which caregivers say they intervene most often, in order of importance: applying for social assistance, looking for a job, applying for housing, drawing up civil status documents, registering for courses or schools, subscribing to energy contracts, online banking, taking care of family and taking out a telephone or internet subscription.
Language barrierAmong the main difficulties encountered by refugees with digital technology, the language barrier predominates. When confronted with sites in French, 65% of the refugees surveyed resort to a translation site. Nearly half of the refugees then ask a friend or family member for help (46%), 29% try to understand with images, and 22% look for a site in their own language. Finally, 14% decide not to visit the site in French.
"In a context of dematerialization of administrative procedures, digital technology is a real obstacle in the integration process of a refugee," the authors of the study observe.Faced with these difficulties, most refugees call on outside help: (30% of respondents), members of associations (21%), family (20%), other refugees (13%). 11% said they did not know anyone who could help them.
83% of refugees say they want to learn computer skills, mainly to access vocational training and to facilitate administrative procedures.
Caregivers themselves insufficiently trained56% of caregivers surveyed said that refugees let them do the paperwork on the sites because they are lost when faced with complex interfaces and language. 41% of caregivers say they need training in digital tools to increase their skills in "digital caregiver posture," training in data protection and digital identity, assessing the vulnerability of the computer and the association's tools and detecting phishing and scams.
20% feel a need for training in online procedures and 19% for social assistance. Finally, 40% want to be trained in the use of office software.
"What emerges very clearly from the survey," the authors observe, " is the challenge of increasing the digital skills of refugees. However, this is made particularly complex by the very poor computer and French language skills of a large proportion of people and the high stakes of opening up rights over a limited period of time.The study concludes with five recommendations
- Promote a better understanding of the needs and digital uses of refugees;
- To ensure a reinforced accompaniment in the digital administrative steps;
- Strengthen digital skills diagnosis and training;
- Ensure effective access to equipment and connection;
- Promote access to translated, centralized and popularized information.
