In an information climate as complex as that surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, local information plays a vital role in determining how communities respond to public health orders and guidance.
Alongside the current restrictions we are all subject to, the need for information – especially among vulnerable and marginalized groups – is greater than ever before. Currently, humanitarians are grappling with how to continue engaging with communities in a meaningful way – and particularly with harder to reach people who have limited or no access to information channels conducive to social distancing. People need simple, practical information to protect themselves, their families, and communities . They also need ways to elevate their voices and concerns.
In this guide, lnternews lays out an approach to community engagement involving a range of mechanisms that are alternatives to face-to-face. Given the current pandemic context, we are required to adapt our trusted Communicating with Communities methodologies to ensure people have access to information that responds directly to their questions and concerns, thus tackling misinformation and dispelling rumours.