Yesterday I was teaching at the #HagueCenterforHumanitarianStudies, where research is done on education, impact and networking in the humanitarian world. They have a nice podcast called “The Good Humanitarian”, and they started an Inter-Observatory Network, specifically intended to bring contextual/local knowledge into debates about the international humanitarian system. #HSC describes them not simply as research centres but as locally rooted, self-organising and self-governing networks bringing together humanitarian organisations, affected communities, researchers, civil society and sometimes government. Their purposes include research, dialogue, advocacy and influencing humanitarian policy and practice. They are specifically intended to bring contextual/local knowledge into debates about the international humanitarian system and are effectively an attempt to change not only who implements humanitarian assistance, but also who produces the knowledge through which humanitarian priorities and reforms are defined. Perhaps there is one close to where you are. Do reach out if you can – strengthen the humanitarian family!
The full current list is on the link https://www.humanitarianstudiescentre.nl/humanitarian-observatories/