Paper details
| Paper authors | Meral Açıkgöz |
| In panel on | Using Evaluation Evidence to Guide a Structured "Humanitarian Reset" |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
In-Person / |
Abstract
As the humanitarian system undergoes a profound reset, there is growing consensus on the need to use decades of evaluations and lessons learned to inform more adaptive, accountable, and locally grounded responses. Yet, despite the availability of evaluation evidence, its integration into decision-making remains uneven. This paper explores the systemic and organizational conditions that influence the use of evaluation findings in international humanitarian organizations.
Drawing on preliminary reflections from a multi-agency study of three UN agencies in Türkiye, the paper analyzes how evaluation systems, while well-established, face challenges in consistently facilitating the timely and transformative use of evidence. Using systems theory, the paper examines how broader institutional norms, organizational dynamics, and system-level feedback structures shape the uptake of evaluation findings. It also highlights the importance of strengthening the connection between evidence and action at the local level, where humanitarian needs are most immediate and context-sensitive.
The paper offers initial design considerations to enhance evaluation use in support of lighter, more flexible systems that prioritize learning, reinforce local feedback loops and decentralized decision-making processes, and improve the usability of findings key for an effective humanitarian reset.
