Ethical preparedness of frontline workers in humanitarian crises (RECAP)

Research capacity strengthening and knowledge generation to support preparedness and response to humanitarian crises and epidemics (RECAP) focuses on the health and protection sectors in humanitarian response. It will conduct research and strengthen research capacity to improve decision-making and accountability in response to humanitarian crises and epidemics.

RECAP’s research portfolio consists of six work streams covering a wide range of topics related to humanitarian crises: improved performance metrics, epidemic modelling, applied use of economic methods, use of research and data, accountability, and ethics. Work Strand Six, Exploring ethical preparedness and provision in humanitarian crises, is led by Professor Patricia Kingori.

Specific research questions for this work strand include:

(i) What ethical issues are experienced by frontline humanitarian staff and what are some of the solutions they’ve devised?

(ii) In what ways can ethically informed practice be supported among frontline staff?

(iii) How can ethical issues around health and protection work and research on child, family and gender-based be better understood and addressed?

The research methods include ethnographic and qualitative research with crisis-affected and forcibly displaced individuals and those involved in organising and providing humanitarian services.

This project is a partnership between universities in the United Kingdom, Sierra Leone and Lebanon, and some of the leading humanitarian NGOs. The overall Principal Investigator is Professor Bayard Roberts of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

RECAP is funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (ES/P010873/1).