Strategic Humanitarian Communication in the Age of Disinformation
In today’s polarised world, humanitarian organisations are increasingly exposed to disinformation campaigns and reputational attacks that affect their legitimacy to act and their access populations in danger. Humanitarian communication, whether related to awareness-raising, advocacy or life-saving information, now unfolds in environments characterised by disinformation, hostile narratives, digital surveillance, and the weaponisation of communication. What matters in today’s fragmented information ecosystems is not only how to tell stories, but how to protect aid organisations from harmful narratives, manage reputational and operational risks, and build trust.
The course examines the evolving digital and political media landscape and the dynamics of disinformation, rumours, propaganda, and fake news, while equipping participants with strategic communication skills for hostile environments.
- Map information landscapes across different humanitarian settings and geopolitical contexts
- Identify the mechanisms behind disinformation, rumours, propaganda, fake news, information warfare
- Develop response strategies to reputational attacks against humanitarian organisations
- Formulate coherent messages and adapt communication channels in polarised environments
- Arbitrate between transparency, security, dignity and acceptance
- Manage images, testimonies and sensitive data in hostile contexts
Around 50 hours of work overall, including:
- Asynchronous self-study activities (such as case studies, videos, recorded slideshows, readings, etc.)
- Synchronous live sessions (twice a week)
- Part 1: Humanitarian communication under attack: from media relation to information battles
- Part 2: The new media ecology as a threat environment
- Part 3: Strategic mapping of audience and information ecosystems
- Part 4: Crisis communication and ethics in hostile information environments
- Part 5: Managing rumours, fake news and information warfare
- Communication and public affairs officers, advocacy advisers, spokespersons
- Field coordinators and programme managers
- Community engagement, accountability and protection officers
- Security, risk and conflict analysis specialists
- Digital media and crisis communication specialists
- Journalists and media practitioners in crisis settings
Interested in applying? Learn more about the admission requirements and application process here.
