INITIATIVE 2: wash data
Improving EVIDENCE BASED decision-making IN WASH HUMANITARIAN SECTOR
WASH humanitarian programmers, coordinators, donors, and other stakeholders in emergencies are faced with various decisions that must be made in timely manner to best serve and respond to populations affected by emergencies. This may include where to allocate funding or other limited resources, how to know when to advocate and scale-up response, deciding response modalities and targeting, and many more. These decisions are most effective for improving outcomes for affected populations when grounded in evidence and data, however for a variety of reasons this does not always occur. Often either the right data is not available or accessible, stakeholders may not have the right knowledge or skills to use the data, the right analysis tools may not be applied or developed, or other constraints.
The aim of WASH Road Map Initiative 2 is to promote changes or novel research that may promote the availability, accessibility, or utilization of evidence-based decision making within the humanitarian WASH sector for greater effectiveness for populations needing humanitarian WASH services.
WRM Initiative 2 is led by IMPACT Initiatives, along with participation from IOM, ICRC, Global WASH Cluster, and UNICEF as of February 2024.
The aim of WASH Road Map Initiative 2 is to promote changes or novel research that may promote the availability, accessibility, or utilization of evidence-based decision making within the humanitarian WASH sector for greater effectiveness for populations needing humanitarian WASH services.
WRM Initiative 2 is led by IMPACT Initiatives, along with participation from IOM, ICRC, Global WASH Cluster, and UNICEF as of February 2024.
Understanding the WASH Data and Decision-Making Environment
Exploring how evidence drives better outcomes in humanitarian WASH
Over the past decade, the humanitarian Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector has made steady progress toward strengthening evidence-based decision-making. Yet, despite an increasing volume of data and analysis, practitioners often face challenges in effectively leveraging this knowledge to inform strategy and programming.
Between 2015 and 2021, five systematic reviews of WASH interventions in humanitarian crises found limited high-quality evidence on programme effectiveness. However, this does not mean that evidence is lacking — rather, it reflects a highly siloed and fragmented data landscape. Across the sector, a wealth of analytical outputs, assessments, and studies are produced, but their collective potential remains largely untapped.
To address this, the Understanding the WASH Decision-Making Environment study explores how evidence is generated, shared, and applied in humanitarian contexts. Conducted by Res’Eau, the research provides a first overview of what can be described as the WASH Data Ecosystem — mapping out the actors, platforms, and processes involved in how information flows through the sector.
The report highlights:
This work forms a critical step in the WASH Road Map’s ambition to build a more cohesive, transparent, and impactful humanitarian WASH sector, where data and evidence are used not only to justify decisions but to transform them.
Over the past decade, the humanitarian Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector has made steady progress toward strengthening evidence-based decision-making. Yet, despite an increasing volume of data and analysis, practitioners often face challenges in effectively leveraging this knowledge to inform strategy and programming.
Between 2015 and 2021, five systematic reviews of WASH interventions in humanitarian crises found limited high-quality evidence on programme effectiveness. However, this does not mean that evidence is lacking — rather, it reflects a highly siloed and fragmented data landscape. Across the sector, a wealth of analytical outputs, assessments, and studies are produced, but their collective potential remains largely untapped.
To address this, the Understanding the WASH Decision-Making Environment study explores how evidence is generated, shared, and applied in humanitarian contexts. Conducted by Res’Eau, the research provides a first overview of what can be described as the WASH Data Ecosystem — mapping out the actors, platforms, and processes involved in how information flows through the sector.
The report highlights:
- The complexity of WASH decision-making across individual, collective, and system levels.
- The fragmentation of evidence sources and research initiatives, leading to challenges in communication and alignment.
- The need for a shared understanding of how data and evidence can contribute to higher-level outcomes, including public health and resilience.
This work forms a critical step in the WASH Road Map’s ambition to build a more cohesive, transparent, and impactful humanitarian WASH sector, where data and evidence are used not only to justify decisions but to transform them.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Provisional total budget:
80 000 USD
Synergies with:
Initiatives 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8.
Provisional total budget:
80 000 USD
Synergies with:
Initiatives 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8.
|
LED BY:
|
PARTICIPANTS:
|
|
International Organization of Migration,, United Nations International Children Emergency Fund, Global WASH Cluster, International Committee of the Red Cross, UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations International Children Emergency Fund, Global WASH Cluster, International Committee of the Red Cross, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees
|
DO YOU WISH TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS INITIATIVE?