ACAPS (2012) Qualitative and Quantitative Research Techniques for Humanitarian Needs Assessment. An Introductory Brief

Collection, collation, analysis, and synthesis of qualitative and quantitative information, gathered and analysed using appropriate sources, tools, and methods is the cornerstone of rapid needs assessments that allows decision makers to plan a timely, appropriate, and coordinated emergency response.

ACAPS (2011) Technical Brief: Direct Observation and Key Informant Interview Techniques, for Primary Data Collection During Rapid Assessments

ACAPS (2016) Questionnaire Design. How to Design a Questionnaire for Needs Assessments in Humanitarian Emergencies

There is no shortage of questionnaires used during emergencies that are too long, overly complex or unable to generate useful responses. The art of developing an effective questionnaire is the topic of master degrees and doctorates. The questionnaire is a critical tool in humanitarian response and requires time, resources and a detailed understanding of the context, factors which are all in short supply during an […]

Abel, M. (2017) Clean Hands, Good Toilet, Happy Family! Hygiene Promotion Guidelines and Tools. Western Pacific Sanitation Marketing and Innovation Project

It feels good to be clean. It feels good to live in a beautiful environment. It feels good not to get sick. Influencing health behaviour change seems like it should be simple. Present the logical evidence (information) for why changing a behaviour is worthwhile (washing hands kills germs) and the need for change should be obvious. But logic isn’t the only basis for making decisions […]

World Vision (2017) Baby WASH Toolkit Version I

BabyWASH at World Vision is an initiative which aims to improve the integration of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions with maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH), nutrition and early childhood development (ECD), to enable a more profound impact on child health outcomes in the first 1,000 days of life. The initiative was developed due to a recognised gap in the integration in these sectors […]

The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (2020) Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action

The Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) have become one of the key resources for humanitarian workers since its launch in 2012. The CPMS have been developed to support child protection work in humanitarian settings by: Establishing common principles between those working in child protection; Strengthening coordination between humanitarian actors; Improving the quality of child protection programming and its impact on children; […]

UNICEF (2017) Including Children with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action

The purpose of Including Children with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action is to strengthen the inclusion of children and women with disabilities, and their families, in emergency preparedness, response and early recovery, and recovery and reconstruction. This series of booklets provides insight into the situation of children with disabilities in humanitarian contexts, highlights the ways in which they are excluded from humanitarian action, and offers practical […]

OXFAM (0) Working with Children in Humanitarian WASH Programmes Public Health Promotion. Technical Briefing Paper

Children under five years can represent up to 20% of the population. In some cases children under 18 years may represent over 50% of the population. They are thus major stakeholders in all humanitarian programmes. This briefing describes the practical issues that need to be considered when involving children in humanitarian WASH programmes.

Save the Children UK (2019) Global Humanitarian WASH Guidance 2019-2021

Our vision is a world in which every child affected by an emergency wherever she/he is – at home or displaced; in schools; and in health institutions – has the right and access to safe water supply and adequate sanitation facilities and is enabled to perform basic hygiene. This operational guidance outlines the role Humanitarian WASH will play within Save the Children 2019-2021 strategy. The contribution […]

Plan International Australia (2014) Gender and WASH Monitoring Tool

Plan International Australia (Plan Australia) would like to share the Gender and WASH Monitoring Tool (GWMT). Promoting gender equality demands significant attention in every WASH intervention as gender relations are integral to the effectiveness and sustainability of WASH. The literature suggests that measuring change in the context of gender relations presents ongoing challenges for monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Plan has taken the opportunity to develop […]

IFRC (2021) Protection, Gender and Inclusion in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Leaving no-one behind in WASH

This guidance note provides an overview of key protection, gender and inclusion (PGI) issues and practicalities to consider when assessing, designing, implementing and monitoring both long-term and humanitarian WASH programmes. It supports the practical application of the IFRC Minimum Standards for Protection, Gender and Inclusion in Emergencies by providing guidance to promote people’s dignity, access, participation and safety (DAPS) in WASH programmes.

IASC (2018) The Gender Handbook for Humanitarian Action

Humanitarian action provides life-saving services and facilitates recovery for communities affected by armed conflict, natural disasters and other complex emergencies. The responsibility of humanitarian actors to promote gender equality is supported by a normative framework validated by extensive field experience. This handbook sets out the rationale for integrating gender equality into humanitarian action and provides practical guidance for doing so across sectors. The main objective is […]

WaterAid (2016) Exploring Gender Aspects of Community Water, Sanitation and Hygiene A Manual for Facilitating Dialogue between Women and Men in Communities

This manual was developed by WaterAid Timor-Leste as a means to integrate gender inequality as a significant consideration in its water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programming at the community level. The Manual aims to foster and encourage change towards greater gender equality. The approach is not to conduct formal ‘training’ but to facilitate opportunities for dialogue between women and men in communities in order to build […]

Mazurana, D., Benelli, P., Gupta, H., Walker, P. (2011) Sex and Age Matter Improving Humanitarian Response in Emergencies

Humanitarian aid is largely guided by anecdotes rather than evidence. Currently, the humanitarian system shows significant weaknesses in data collection, analysis and response in all stages of a crisis or emergency. As a result, the present humanitarian system is much less evidence-driven than it should be and than it would like to be. To ensure that vulnerabilities, needs and access to life-saving services are best understood […]

Brown, D., Donini, A., Knox Clarke, P. (2014) Engagement of Crisis-Affected People in Humanitarian Action Background Paper of ALNAP’s 29th Annual Meeting, 11-12 March 2014, Addis Ababa

WHO (2021) Voice, Agency, Empowerment - Handbook on Social Participation for Universal Health Coverage

Social participation is an important means for governments to develop responsive health policies and programmes, which are more likely to be implemented by a broad stakeholder group. It is at the heart of the inclusive governance needed for countries to stake their individual paths towards Universal Health Coverage while ensuring that no one is left behind. As simple as it may seem in theory, it is […]

IFRC, ICRC (2021) A Red Cross Red Crescent Guide to Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) Improving communication, engagement and accountability in all we do

Community engagement and accountability (CEA) is an approach to Red Cross and Red Crescent programming and operations. It is supported by a set of activities that help put communities at the centre of what we do, by integrating communication and participation throughout the programme cycle or operation. CEA is the process of and commitment to providing timely, relevant and actionable life-saving and life-enhancing information to communities. […]

CDAC Network (2019) Collective Communication and Community Engagement in Humanitarian Action How to Guide for Leaders and Responders

It is well recognised that good communication and participation are prerequisites for successful community engagement in development and humanitarian action. We need more sustained dialogue and meaningful interaction with the people we serve so that they can take informed decisions and play an active or lead role in the aid they receive. So how do we get better at working alongside people affected by disaster? […]

UNHCR (2008) Manual on a Community Based Approach in UNHCR Operations

WHO (2020) Community Engagement A Health Promotion Guide for Universal Health Coverage in the Hands of the People

WHO has defined community engagement as “a process of developing relationships that enable stakeholders to work together to address health-related issues and promote well-being to achieve positive health impact and outcomes”. There are undeniable benefits to engaging communities in promoting health and wellbeing. At its core, community engagement enables changes in behaviour, environments, policies, programmes and practices within communities. There are different levels, depths and […]