Welcome to the Humanitarian Research Ethics Resource Hub
What does humanitarian research look like?
- A trial of an Ebola vaccine
- A study on the clinical management of crush injuries following an earthquake
- Ethnographic research with persons displaced by war
These examples reflect the diversity of human subject research during crises. They also highlight how research can improve our understanding of how epidemics, disasters, and wars affect human health, and how humanitarian response can be made more effective.
Yet, conducting research in humanitarian contexts comes with unique ethical challenges:
- How can traditional funding and oversight models adapt to fast-moving emergencies?
- How do we ensure ethical rigor under time pressure?
Purpose of This Hub
This repository is designed to support:
✅ Research Ethics Committees (RECs) involved in reviewing humanitarian research
✅ REC members seeking training or guidance on protocols
✅ Researchers and trainees in humanitarian contexts
✅ NGO leaders building internal ethics review capacity
You’ll find resources, tools, and training materials tailored to the ethical complexities of humanitarian research.
Explore the Repository
Use the links below to jump directly to each section:
🔍 Overview of Humanitarian Research Ethics:
A brief introduction to core ethical challenges and principles in humanitarian research.
🧰 Key Guidelines, Tools & Frameworks
Curated documents to guide the ethical design and implementation of studies.
📝 Ethics Review of Humanitarian Research
Support for RECs and researchers navigating ethics review processes during crises.
🏛️ Policies & Procedures for RECs
Examples and templates for committees reviewing humanitarian research.
🧪 Fictional Protocol for Ethics Training
A sample humanitarian research protocol to support applied ethics training.
📖 Annotated Bibliography
A collection of academic and practitioner literature on humanitarian research ethics.
HUMANITARIAN HEALTH ETHICS 