initiative 4: WASH Research and innovation
research integration into humanitarian WASH programming

Humanitarian WASH interventions must provide access to safely managed services and implement responses to epidemics with dignity, well-being, and safety. However, in a context of increasing and complexification of crises, there is also a need to deliver evidence-based strategies and to require to provide high quality and accountable interventions to affected populations. Responding to these crises demands strong evidence on what works to guide more effective and efficient investment and to achieve better health and social outcomes.
However, recent systematic reviews have highlighted a paucity of rigorous evidence to guide WASH interventions in humanitarian crises. In June 2017, ELRHA’s Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) program  convened a meeting of representatives from international response agencies, research institutions and donor organisations that are active in the field of humanitarian WASH, to identify research priorities. Although the evidence base for WASH interventions is ever increasing, there are research and innovation gaps that still need to be identified and supported. The aim of the initiative isthus  to create an environment that facilitates the production of high-quality research and rigorously tested innovations among agencies and academic institutions to improve WASH interventions in humanitarian programming.
Wishing to address the question “What will assist the WASH sector in delivering evidence-based programs globally?’’, five objectives have been launched as part of this initiative:
  1. Create and maintain a library of published literature for WASH practitioners, which will be accessible via the GWC website.
  2. Create a repository of templates and tools for monitoring and evaluation of emergency WASH programmes
  3. Update the emergency WASH research and innovation agendas, and provide technical advice to research and innovation proposals on these topics.
  4. Disseminate updates on the latest WASH evidence and provide an annual research conference, the Emergency Environmental Health Forum, for emergency WASH practitioners and agencies. 
  5. Create a network capable of supporting research partnerships between academic institutions and humanitarian actors to support the systematic integration of research into humanitarian programming. ​
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Provisional total budget:
141 000 USD

Synergies with:
Initiatives 1.1 and 1.2

Internal events:
Virtual Coffee in December 2022
Initiative's progress graph

Work in progress, will be uploaded soon.
LED BY:
PARTICIPANTS:
Action Against Hunger, US Agency for International Development, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, IHE Delft, OXFAM, Polish Action Humanitarian and Save The Children, Global WASH Cluster, International Committee of the Red Crpss, International Medical Corps, Reach, Solidarités International , UN International Children Emergency Fund
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