Navigating Digital Inequality in Contexts of Migration

Navigating Digital Inequality in the Context of Migration is a research-driven digital empowerment programme that strengthens the socio-digital agency of refugee women in the Netherlands. The project responds to a pressing societal challenge: in today’s digital society, access to education, employment, healthcare, and civic participation increasingly depends on digital skills and the ability to navigate complex institutions.

Rather than treating digital exclusion as an individual deficit, the project understands it as a structural inequality shaped by migration trajectories, language barriers, institutional complexity, and gendered dynamics. Grounded in Participatory Action Research (PAR), the initiative integrates research and education in a collaborative framework. Participants’ needs are identified through intake interviews and integrated into the program design. Participants are encouraged to engage actively in the workshops and are supported in developing and leading their own workshop initiatives. In doing so, the project builds on participants’ lived experiences, expertise, and aspirations.

Goals

The project aims to strengthen digital and AI literacy, support refugee women in navigating Dutch institutions, enhance professional communication skills (including CV and LinkedIn development), and build sustainable peer support through the Buddy Programme.

Through Participatory Action Research (PAR), the programme also generates evidence-based insights to inform inclusive digital and integration policies. A key outcome is the development of a policy paper with concrete recommendations for creating more inclusive educational programmes and integration frameworks. By bridging participatory research, educational practice, and policy engagement, Navigating Your Digital Journey contributes to ongoing debates on digital justice, gender equity, and inclusive integration in European contexts.

Do You Want to Know More? 

Are you a municipality, educational institution, NGO, or community organisation interested in collaboration? We would be happy to connect.

Contact us to learn more about the programme, partnerships, or implementation opportunities.

Email: digitalnewcomers [at] ru.nl (digitalnewcomers[at]ru[dot]nl)

Coordinator of the program / Contact: noemi.menamontes [at] ru.nl (noemi[dot]menamontes[at]ru[dot]nl)