Humanitarian: MMRT

The Media Monitoring and Rumor Tracking (MMRT) Dashboard developed for UNICEF Iraq is a comprehensive tool for identifying, categorizing, and analyzing misinformation and community perceptions related to COVID-19 and other critical health and social topics. It integrates both quantitative and qualitative data from various sources, including field reports, focus group discussions, community statements, and digital platforms. By visualizing data across provinces and demographic groups, the dashboard enables decision-makers to monitor trends, assess rumor impact, and tailor response strategies to address misinformation and build public trust.

The dashboard categorizes rumors into thematic areas such as COVID-19 vaccination, mistrust, treatments, and religious or cultural beliefs, further breaking them down into subcategories like vaccine hesitancy, conspiracy theories, home remedies, and misinformation. Using interactive filters, users can analyze rumors by source, location, category, and time frame, while the GIS mapping feature provides spatial insights into rumor distribution. The word cloud functionality adds depth to qualitative analysis by highlighting commonly used terms, revealing underlying fears, misconceptions, and community narratives.

By offering both high-level summaries and detailed breakdowns, the MMRT Dashboard supports UNICEF and partners in shaping effective communication campaigns, targeting vulnerable groups, and deploying resources efficiently. Its data-driven approach strengthens community engagement efforts, combats harmful narratives, and promotes evidence-based decision-making. Ultimately, the dashboard plays a critical role in fostering informed communities, enhancing public health responses, and improving trust between institutions and the people they serve.