Communicating accessible messages for food insecure communities in Northern Mozambique: Supporting Sustainable Development Goal 2

Abstract

Purpose This paper describes a collaborative project between Trinity College Dublin in Ireland and the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) Mozambique country office. The Sphere standards require that information on humanitarian assistance should be in languages and formats accessible to people who cannot read or who have communication difficulties. Nevertheless, there remains a gap in both implementing this guidance consistently and in understanding the impact of doing so when engaging with affected populations. Method This commentary describes the process of developing key messages regarding targeting of humanitarian food assistance in communication-accessible formats, and field testing of these materials with community committees and partners Result The communication-accessible materials were well received by communities, and humanitarian staff and partners found them to be useful in community engagement. Conclusion Materials designed to be maximally accessible to people with communication differences and disabilities may also address inclusion for affected populations with different education, literacy, and language backgrounds. This commentary focuses on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 as an exemplar of the use of communication accessible messaging in humanitarian response.