July 24, 2023 — Upon winning the "Connect" award at the 2023 UN SDG Action Awards, the IRC issued the following statement:
“The International Rescue Committee is thrilled that the global Signpost project has been awarded the 'Connect' award at the SDG Action Awards today in Rome, Italy, in recognition of its work supporting and empowering millions of people on the move with timely, accurate and often life-saving information. When Signpost first launched in 2015, there were 65 million forcibly displaced persons. By 2022, that number has reached over 100 million people — the highest it has ever been. Signpost is uniquely positioned to help people in crisis, wherever they may be - from Tanzania to Mexico, from Italy to Ukraine - and has reached over 60 million people so far.
“Increased and accurate information disempowers smugglers who thrive on misinformation, saves lives along displacement routes and helps asylum-seekers both understand their rights and make informed choices in the midst of crisis. Signpost’s vision --shared by our tech partners Breakthrough Prize Foundation, Cisco, Google.org, Meta, Microsoft, Schmidt Futures, Tripadvisor Foundation and Zendesk who helped make this project possible- is to give the power of information to the most neglected and 'last mile' communities in crises worldwide, equipping people on the move with a sense of control over their lives and make the decisions that are best for them.
“As we reach the midpoint of the implementation of the SDGs and the 2030 agenda, Signpost’s work is more relevant than ever. We look forward to continuing to rise to the occasion of the great and growing global challenges that make the work of Signpost so very urgent, and so very necessary.”