Research Good Practices in Fragile and Displacement-affected Contexts

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In this image:Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Bangladesh. © 2018 Sebastian Chaskel
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IPA and J-PAL logos for the Displaced Livelihoods Initiative


As global crises increase in frequency and protraction, rigorous research identifying strategies to improve humanitarian, displacement, and development responses is increasingly critical. However, implementing research in fragile contexts is challenging and requires adapting existing practices to ensure projects are effectively answering questions necessary to inform the decisions of policymakers and practitioners and meet the needs of affected populations. Responding to this need, organizations and researchers around the world have developed strategies to improve the quality of research in fragile contexts and increase evidence use among program implementers.

IPA and J-PAL’s Displaced Livelihoods Initiative is committed to sharing new and existing resources to ensure that research maintains the highest ethical and quality standards and is accessible to the communities and stakeholders that need it.

Resources

    Research Development Resources

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of position paper PDF

    Building Equitable Partnerships Position Paper and its Accountability Toolkit (Asylum Access)

    This position paper and accountability toolkit seek to provide INGOs, donors, and other stakeholders with the tools to evaluate and rectify the power imbalances in their partnerships with local and refugee-led organizations.

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of guidelines PDF

    Guidelines for Co-produced Research with Refugees and Other People with Lived Experience of Displacement (APNOR)

    These guidelines seek to provide clear principles and strategies for individuals and organizations interested in undertaking, supporting or learning more about research that is co-produced with refugees and other people with lived experience of displacement.

    Thumbnail image of first page of IRC Research Standards PDF full publication

    IRC Research Standards (International Rescue Committee)

    This document outlines the standards set by the International Rescue Committee to provide guidance on best practices and to set up research studies for success. It covers research design, resources, management, ethics, data collection & protection, cost effectiveness, transparency, use of findings, lessons learned, and equity.

    Screenshot of beginning of video recording on YouTube

    Workshop: Building Equitable Partnerships with Refugee-led Organizations (Cohere)

    This workshop (recording) walks participants through the steps and considerations to building equitable partnerships with refugee-led organizations.

    Research Implementation Resources

    Infographic from IRC website

    Humanitarian Research Toolkit (International Rescue Committee)

    A toolkit for conducting research in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, comprising guidance, training documents, and other practical tools. 

    Screenshot of IPL Integration Index website landing page

    Immigrant Integration Index (Immigration Policy Lab)

    This index examines outcome measures on six dimensions of integration: psychological, social, economic, political, linguistic, and navigational.

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of this document from EGRISS

    International Recommendations on Internally Displaced Persons Statistics (EGRISS)

    These recommendations outline an internationally-agreed framework for countries and international organizations to improve the production, coordination, and dissemination of high-quality official statistics on internally displaced persons that are consistent over time and comparable across regions and countries.

    Thumbnail image of first page of this publication from IPA

    IPV Field Research: When All the Questions Are Hard Questions (IPA)

    This resource shares some strategies on conducting responsible and ethical intimate partner violence research to prevent additional harm.

    Screenshot of website landing page for the World Bank JDC Microdata Library

    The Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement’s Microdata Library (JDC)

    This is a collection of datasets on displaced populations, often including links to the implemented questionnaires.

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of the PDF of this publication from IPL

    Low-Cost, Automated WhatsApp Surveys (Immigration Policy Lab)

    This is a public survey tool for deploying surveys on WhatsApp, which has been used with hard-to-reach and highly mobile populations.

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of PDF of this publication from Pathways to Wellness

    Refugee Health Screener (Pathways to Wellness)

    The Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15) is a tool for screening refugees for emotional distress and mental health. This document includes the tool, background on its development, and guidelines for using it.

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of the RIMA-II publication on the FAO website

    Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis (FAO)

    This tool estimates household resilience to food insecurity with a quantitative approach to establish a cause-effect relationship between resilience and its critical determinants.

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of the PDF for this publication

    Self-Reliance Index (Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative)

    This index is a tool for measuring the progress of refugee households toward self-reliance.

    Ethics Resources

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of this publication

    Data Responsibility in Humanitarian Action (Inter-Agency Standing Committee)

    This operational guidance provides concrete steps to ensure that data is safe, ethical, and effectively managed in humanitarian action, laying out a set of principles and actions for data responsibility.

    Screenshot of J-PAL website landing page for resources on ethical conduct of randomized evaluations

    Ethical Conduct of Randomized Evaluations (J-PAL)

    This resource is intended as a practical guide for researchers to use when considering the ethics of a given research project.

    Thumbnail image from the cover of the academic journal where this paper appears (Disasters, Volume 43, Number 4, October 2019 issue)

    The Ethical Contours of Research in Crisis Settings: Five Practical Considerations for Academic Institutional Review Boards and Researchers (International Rescue Committee)

    This paper (non-gated version here) seeks to describe five issues particular to humanitarian settings that IRBs should consider and on which they should provide recommendations to overcome associated challenges: staged reviews of protocols in acute emergencies, flexible reviews of modification requests, addressing violence and the traumatic experiences of participants, difficulties in attaining meaningful informed consent among populations dependent on aid, and ensuring reviews are knowledgeable of populations' needs.

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of the ELRHA toolkit PDF

    Ethics for Humanitarian Innovation Toolkit (ELRHA)

    This toolkit is designed to provide organizations, teams, and individuals with practical ethical resources to manage innovation responsibly and successfully.

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of PDF of this publication from ELRHA

    Gender-Based Violence Research Methodologies in Humanitarian Settings (ELRHA)

    This document provides an evidence review and recommendations on research methodology and ethics to support researchers conducting research on GBV in humanitarian settings.

    Thumbnail image of front cover page of PDF of J-PAL Humanitarian Learning Agenda

    Humanitarian Learning Agenda (J-PAL)

    This learning agenda provides guidance on how randomized impact evaluations can be deployed in humanitarian settings and draws on examples from existing studies to inform avenues for future research.