HPG’s work to date under this heading has included detailed consideration of the application of humanitarian principles and the scope of the humanitarian agenda. Current work is focused particularly on the protection of civilians, both in legal/normative terms (work on changing forms of protected status) and in terms of approaches to protection in policy and practice (concepts of protection). Further work on protection is proposed for the coming year, with the emphasis on completing and building on work already undertaken. Central to this will be work on Protection in practice, the more ‘applied’ follow up to the concepts of protection work.

Exploring the proper scope and limits of humanitarian action is also a central concern of this cluster. In this vein, a new proposed study for the coming year concerns the relationship in theory and practice between the humanitarian, peace-making and conflict resolution agendas (Humanitarian issues in peace processes). Underlying this is a question about whether humanitarian action can and should be expected to contribute to the resolution of conflict and the achievement of peace, at local, national or international levels.

Work on standards and accountability has also been a common theme within HPG’s own research projects (e.g. work on Good Humanitarian Donorship) and in HPN publications. It is proposed to make this a more explicit component of HPG’s ongoing research agenda, closely linked to work on needs and impact assessment. HPG’s continued concern with assessment stems from its work on this subject in 2003 (HPG Report 15: According to Need?). A proposed project on Needs assessment revisited is designed as an update and stock-take of developments in needs assessment theory and practice since the earlier study was conducted. It is proposed to seek commissioned work in tandem with this study, which should help inform the findings.

HPG’s rapid policy response work combines analysis from previous research with consultation around ‘live’ policy issues of particular concern on a given issue or crisis situation. In the past year, this has led (inter alia) to the production of briefing papers and co-hosted debates on the Niger crisis and on the humanitarian reform agenda. This rapid response work has been well received and appears to meet a demand.

Current and planned work in 2007/08
	Protection in practice
	Taking risk seriously: a review of risk-related initiatives
	‘Diagnostics' in the humanitarian sector

The research team

Research Fellow: James Darcy

Research Officer: Sarah Bailey

Research Officer: Samir Elhawary




Completed work


Crisis in Kenya: land, displacement and the search for 'durable solutions'

Humanitarian action in Iraq: putting the pieces together

Humanitarian advocacy in Darfur: the challenge of neutrality

A review of the links between needs assessment and decision-making in response to food crises

Saving lives through saving livelihoods: critical gaps in the response to the drought in the Greater Horn of Africa

The currency of humanitarian reform

Needs assessment and decision-making in the humanitarian sector

The principles of humanitarian action in practice


Recent speaking engagements

Conflict prevention and development cooperation in Africa: Humanitarian policy dilemmas, James Darcy, Wilton Park 10 th November 2007