Paper details

Paper authors	Debarati Guha-Sapir
In panel on	What have we learned about adapting research methodologies for use in humanitarian crisis contexts?
Paper presenter(s) will be presenting	In-Person / Online

Abstract

Mortality in conflicts and after natural disasters have received increasing attention in the last couple decades, driven largely by the push for evidence based decision making in humanitarian sector. After landmark studies in conflicts such as in Iraq, Darfur, DR Congo and Syria, now mortality after Hurricane Maria and Puerto Rico have surfaced as a topic of debate on death tolls from natural disasters. The challenges in estimating death tolls are a prime example where researchers and operational partners have to work together, understanding the reciprocal strengths and constraints. The motivation for determining death tolls are often at cross purposes and methodologies used to estimate them can run aground easily. Much progress has been made in the last few years, thanks to epidemiologist demographers working together with operational partners in the field. But some fundamental issues remain unresolved. Data collection takes time and money and in humanitarian settings, and in some situations put both collectors and responders at risk. So, having gained substantial experience in the last decades, we should now move ahead to not only improve techniques but also clarify objectives. This presentation will present some ideas in this context for open debate and discussion.

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