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11. Harnessing evidence and learning for people-centred humanitarian action

Author:
Veronique Barbelet, Josie Flint, Emmeline Kerkvliet, and Sara Philips
Publication Date:
12-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
Reforms have sought to shift the framing of humanitarian action towards a quality and equity agenda focused on the view and experiences of people affected by crisis. Reforms linked to the localisation, accountability to affected people (AAP) and inclusion agendas point to the same general vision – a humanitarian aid architecture and system that enables approaches tailored to context and individuals, including through greater leadership and participation of local actors and communities. This report synthesises the available evidence on existing approaches to people-centred humanitarian action and their outcomes, and it reviews good practices. It identifies key gaps on localisation, AAP and inclusion, explores the inter linkages between them, and reflects on the evidence needed by donors, practitioners and researchers to reform humanitarian practice and policy.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Reform, Accountability, Inclusion, and Localization
Political Geography:
Global Focus

12. Humanitarian systemic learning framework toolkit

Author:
Ben Ramalingam
Publication Date:
04-2023
Content Type:
Course Pack
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
The Humanitarian Strategic Learning Framework was developed by Ben Ramalingam for ALNAP , drawing on the multi-level perspective (MLP) of scholar Frank Geels. It can be used proactively or retrospectively for analysing change processes in the humanitarian sector. It specifically takes into account the impact of crises on the existing humanitarian sector. It explores how change plays out at the overall landscape, the sector itself and the niches of the sector. It enables analysis of how changes at these levels interact and reinforce or dampen change at other level. It can be used by leaders, policy makers and researchers seeking to better understand past change processes – successful or otherwise. It can also inform strategic analysis of ongoing or hoped-for changes. Frank Geels' MLP consists of: Landscape, which represents the wider environment – both humanitarian and wider socio-political and economic contextual trends, drivers and factors. Socio-technical regimes, which entails the specific configuration of funding, policies, technologies, processes, cultures and skills that underpin dominant patterns of behaviour and action. Niches, which can be described as the emerging efforts where new niche activities gives rise to novel innovations, operating models and communities.
Topic:
Organizational Learning, Humanitarian Organizations, and Systems Thinking
Political Geography:
Global Focus

13. Review of the OECD DAC criteria for evaluating humanitarian action: A mapping of literature, guidance and practice

Author:
ALNAP
Publication Date:
08-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
In 2006, ALNAP published Evaluating humanitarian action using the OECD DAC criteria, an ALNAP guide for humanitarian agencies to strengthen the evaluation of humanitarian action. The primary purpose of this paper is to provide evidence, using existing literature for ALNAP to review and update its 2006 guide. It also serves as a review on the use of the evaluation criteria in humanitarian settings, contributing to the broader body of evaluative knowledge. This paper, a mapping of literature, guidance and practice, provides a high-level overview of each of the OECD DAC criteria for evaluating humanitarian action, how they have been interpreted in sector-wide and organisational guidance, key issues identified in the literature and application in contemporary evaluations. It does not identify contemporary, undocumented debates on the criteria; these will be addressed through forthcoming consultations.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Literature Review, OECD, Planning, Monitoring, and and Evaluation (PME)
Political Geography:
Global Focus

14. Learning to be more 'locally-led'? Current practice and evidence gaps in the international humanitarian sector

Author:
Vijayalakshmi Viswanathan
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
This paper aims to provide a clear summary of the evidence and perspectives to date around the issues of localisation and locally led action. Based on the learning gaps that emerged through the literature review and interviews, it also sets out a broad learning agenda around this topic. Research around localisation/locally led humanitarian action proves particularly challenging since its interpretations change depending on where you are or with whom you are speaking. So, although significant attention and literature have been generated since the build-up to the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, this has primarily focused on tracking progress against commitments towards localisation made by international actors. There is surprisingly little evidence on the relationship between locally led humanitarian action and performance on the ground.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, International Organization, Localization, Planning, Monitoring, and and Evaluation (PME)
Political Geography:
Global Focus

15. Working across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus: What can we learn from evaluations?

Author:
ALNAP
Publication Date:
12-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
This humanitarian-development-peace nexus evaluation mapping and synthesis paper aims to share key findings from evaluations on how organisations have advanced their version of a nexus approach. The paper offers insights on how the policy concept of the triple nexus has been operationalised and implemented in practice, and it looks at what can be learned from recent efforts. The paper presents a mapping of evidence and analysis from 90 evaluations, syntheses and lessons learned papers that were undertaken between 2018 and April 2022, and it reflects on key findings and trends in those publications.
Topic:
Development, Humanitarian Aid, Organizations, Planning, Monitoring, and and Evaluation (PME)
Political Geography:
Global Focus

16. From Kosovo to Ukraine: lessons from the humanitarian response to conflict and displacement in Europe

Author:
Margie Buchanan-Smith and Peter Wiles
Publication Date:
05-2022
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
While there are many differences between the conflicts in Kosovo and Ukraine, the international humanitarian response to both bears many similarities. For example, both crises triggered record levels of funding and most international humanitarian agencies on the receiving end had limited or no presence and experience in the countries affected. Protection is the dominant need amongst affected communities in both crises as well. This paper – written by Margie Buchanan-Smith and Peter Wiles – highlights key lessons from the international humanitarian response to the Kosovo crisis that could have relevance to the response in Ukraine. The lessons are drawn from the three-volume ‘Independent Evaluation of Expenditure of DEC Kosovo Appeal Funds’ and ALNAP’s meta-evaluation of the Kosovo response, from our 2001 Annual Review.
Topic:
International Organization, Conflict, Crisis Management, and Humanitarian Response
Political Geography:
Europe, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and Kosovo

17. Learning where it matters: Piloting action learning with frontline humanitarian staff

Author:
Jennifer Doherty
Publication Date:
04-2022
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
The knowledge of frontline staff – those directly involved in programme implementation and monitoring – is fundamental to good humanitarian action. These individuals make decisions and solve problems every day in their work with crisis-affected populations. The interactions they have with communities produce important information on how to implement projects most effectively to meet local needs. Despite the central importance of this knowledge to effective programming, frontline learning has consistently lacked support. ALNAP created an action learning resource pack and supported training on action learning with 26 frontline staff from local, national and international humanitarian NGOs between December 2020 and October 2021. This study explores the learning and reflections from that pilot on using action learning with frontline staff in humanitarian contexts.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Community, Project Management, and Implementation
Political Geography:
Global Focus

18. The Gaza Resilience Programme: ICRC’s urban approach in practice

Author:
Samir Hafiz
Publication Date:
06-2022
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
Decades of Israeli–Palestinian hostilities, an occupation and internal political divisions have fuelled a complex protracted crisis in the occupied Palestinian Territories (oPT). With challenges in access to essential services (health care, education, energy and water supply, sanitation), employment opportunities, free movement and trade, almost half of the 5.2 million people living in oPT are in need of humanitarian assistance ( OCHA , 2020; European Commission, 2021). While half of the world’s population now lives in urban environments (UN DESA, 2019), in Palestine this figure rises to 76% (World Bank, 2021). This firmly grounds the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people in an urban context. The case study explores the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Gaza Resilience Programme (GRP), an initiative that aims to build the resilience of systems and communities in Gaza. It highlights how the project has applied context appropriate approaches to the Gaza context and identifies the enabling factors and challenges in these approaches. Section 8 presents key takeaways from the case study.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Urban, Resilience, and Community
Political Geography:
Middle East, Palestine, and Gaza

19. Systems Thinking Handbook for Humanitarians

Author:
Leah Campbell
Publication Date:
08-2022
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
This handbook introduces the ‘how’ of systems thinking for humanitarians – specifically the particular skills that systems thinkers need to practice and seven basic tools for systems thinking. You can also find a helpful glossary of terms at the end. If you’re new to systems thinking, you may like to take a look at the accompanying ALNAP paper, Systems thinking for humanitarians: An introduction for the complete beginner, which provides further background on what systems thinking is and why it is relevant to and useful for the sorts of complex problems that humanitarians face.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Handbook, and Systems Thinking
Political Geography:
Global Focus

20. Communicating humanitarian learning: What do we know?

Author:
Jo-Hannah Lavey
Publication Date:
08-2022
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
Effective communication of critical lessons is essential to improve response to crises. This paper identifies what we know about how the sector communicates what it has learned to improve policy and practice. Humanitarians produce a wealth of research and knowledge. There is, however, little evidence on how to best communicate this knowledge to maximise its impact. This scoping paper is aimed at producers and communicators of humanitarian knowledge. It provides a brief overview of core concepts and existing literature related to communicating humanitarian learning. It identifies five useful findings: Change is complex: it takes time and often does not succeed. Documented evidence is a small contributor to change. Humanitarians prefer tacit, networked knowledge over documentation. Humanitarians access knowledge that is immediately relevant. National actors are not sufficiently included. The paper also outlines what the literature tells us about humanitarian preferences for how to communicate learning. It concludes by finding that those aiming to share documented learning to improve policy and practice are operating without a solid evidence base to guide them, and proposes a future research agenda to fill these evidence gaps.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Communications, and Organizational Learning
Political Geography:
Global Focus