Research and consultancy areas
| Institutions, Financing and Reform The international humanitarian system is undergoing an unprecedented period of reform. Driven by a core group of donor governments and some key humanitarian agencies, the reforms have had far-reaching and often mixed results, whose long-term impact is still uncertain. The humanitarian reform agenda, along with donor policies and practices, is a major focus of current and previous work. Abby Stoddard and Adele Harmer led the evaluation of the UN’s recently adopted Cluster Approach to humanitarian coordination, as well as the first evaluation of the Common Humanitarian Funds in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Glyn Taylor has recently undertaken a study for DFID of the scope for pooled funding approaches in Ethiopia. Adele Harmer played a leading role in the development of the Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) initiative, the most recent work has examined the relationship between GHD and the Paris Principles on Aid Effectiveness. Abby Stoddard undertook a financial analysis and policy review for the US government on behalf of the Good Humanitarian Donorship initiative on the newly expanded array of international humanitarian financing mechanisms. In 2009, the Humanitarian Outcomes team, led by Adele Harmer, produced a feasibility study for the Norwegian Government on the idea for a new international consolidated appeal mechanism for emergency preparedness. Aid in Insecure Environments Recent quantitative research indicates that humanitarian operations face a mounting threat of violence against personnel. Using a methodology pioneered in the HPG/CIC study Providing Aid in Insecure Environments, Adele Harmer and Abby Stoddard have maintained a global dataset of attacks against aid operations, the Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD), from which evidence has informed ongoing interagency security analysis and initiatives. Links to past HPG/CIC research products on humanitarian security can be found at HPG. Glyn Taylor has advised on DFID humanitarian strategy in Afghanistan and in 2009 co-led a major study on the protection of civilians in UN peacekeeping operations, co-commissiond by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance. Policy and Practice The practical, operational aspects of delivering humanitarian relief is also a key focus in Humanitarian Outcomes’ research agenda. Past studies have examined the role of cash in emergency relief, ways of minimising the risks of corruption and the impact of concerns around dependency on policies and practice. Paul Harvey led a strategic evaluation of WFP’s livelihoods recovery interventions, and a study on the role of the affected state in disaster reponse. In 2009 Katherine Haver led a research team for UNHCR that studied the use of cash grants in repatriation and reintegration programmes for Burundian refugees. |