Evidence-based approaches to
Humanitarian Aid
The Irish Aid Experience
What is Evidence-based Humanitarian
Aid?
No agreed definition but generally understood as…
 The application of current best evidence/practice
to strengthen the appropriateness, effectiveness
and impact of humanitarian assistance.
 Requires strengthening the link between research,
policy and practice.
 Requires a Results Based Approach.
 Requires cooperation, coordination and political
will.
Information sources Irish Aid uses to
guide funding allocations…
CAP
UNICEF
MIC
UN
Assessment
Reports
Global
Hunger
Index
NGO
Assessment
Reports
EU
Vulnerability
Index
CRED
Irish Aid Appraisal Process…
Partner expertise,
competency,
experience
Targeting –
reaching the most
vulnerable
Financial oversight
Cross cutting
issues
Baseline
Information –
needs assessment
Strengthening
local capacities
Beneficiary
Consultation
Adherence to
Standards
Coordination
Results focus
Irish Aid’s role in on-going strengthening
of the Evidence-base
Innovation and
piloting
Improved Processes
and Practices
Irish Aid
supporting…
Capacity
Strengthening
Learning and
Quality
Challenges…
• Acknowledge evidence-based approaches are
both under-developed but also a new area of
focus for all
• Lesson learning from ‘mega-emergencies’ –
the TEC, Haiti but challenge to integrate
• Learning from evaluations
• Building research seamlessly to decisionmaking
Challenges ctd.
• Institutional challenges – DRR, LRRD, Horn of
Africa, the ‘development agenda’
• Pulling together to deliver credible and timely
data versus the pressures to compete
• The time pressures unique to humanitarian
response – how does this argue for a different
approach?
• Risk: ‘Evidence based decision making’ could
become an impediment to innovation or neglect
of neglect of issues such as protection and dignity
because they are difficult to measure
Horn of Africa
• Brief case study
• Early warning
• Start from national capacity – focus of our country programmes –
resilience, social safety nets, cash transfers - flexibility
• More integrated country strategy planning with humanitarian input
• National NGOs – work of ENN, Concern, Valid on CMAM – early
2000s –
• Local producers - Plumpynut
• HPP process and EPPR support to DRR and building resilience
• but only possible so far – Govt partners
…but still challenges here
• Still a ‘sudden onset’ phase to be responded
to and evidence weak there
• Also need to build in more humanitarian
impact assessments – ALNAP – Malawi, Haiti
pilots
• Positives – staged response which enables us
to prioritise initial emergency interventions
but parallel efforts on sectoral priorities eg
GBV
The broader Dimension
• International Context – work of others
ongoing
• Not just an Irish challenge
• A DEC approach?
• How Irish Aid links in with these international
initiatives– locating our support at the
broader level
Thanks for your attention
Any questions?