In research and policy, little attention has been paid to scenarios where disasters related to natural hazards happen in conflict situations, even though among the 400 disasters each year, more than 30% strike countries already affected by conflict.
There is evidence that conflict aggravates disaster and that disaster can intensify conflict – but not much is known about the precise relationship and how it may impact upon aid responses.
About the research
When Disaster Meets Conflict (Discord) studied the nexus between humanitarian aid and disaster governance.
It analysed how state, non-state and humanitarian actors respond to disasters in three conflict settings (high, low-medium, and post-conflict) in order to understand how the type of conflict impacts communities and the aid that the affected people are offered.
The project, which ran from 2015-2020, aimed to learn about the challenges, experiences and success factors for aid in each of the three settings.
The project, which ran from 2015-2020, aimed to learn about the challenges, experiences and success factors for aid in each of the three settings. It also sought to understand how the politicization of disaster response affects the legitimacy, power and relations between governance actors. The research project comprises an international expert panel with 30 experts (half from the Global South) and 9 country case studies.
Societal relevance
The research team strives to ensure that the research they conduct is not only scientifically robust but also socially relevant and engaged. The team produced multiple research briefs, participated in many international consultancies and collaborations, events and conferences and wrote numerous opinion and blog pieces for a wider public.
Analyzing local responses to COVID-19
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers joined forces with MA students and PhD researches to investigate local mechanisms to cope with COVID-19 and its spill-over crises.
Main project findings
The main project findings have been summarized in four key research briefs.
The first brief provides an overview of general lessons learned on disaster governance in conflict settings and highlights the importance of a scenario-based approach.
The following conflict-specific briefs analyse the interaction of disaster and conflict through three case studies in each scenario:
- high-intensity conflict in South Sudan, Afghanistan and Yemen
- low-intensity conflict in Ethiopia, Myanmar and Zimbabwe
- post-conflict in Sierra Leone, Nepal and Haiti
Lessons on disaster governance & humanitarian action: A scenario-based approach
Understanding disaster reduction & response in high-intensity conflict settings
Politics of disaster response in authoritarian low-intensity conflict settings
Constructing disaster response governance in post-conflict settings
Outputs and findings
Take a look at our various project outputs for both academic and non-academic audiences.
Photos taken in the course of our research
Funding
Contact the research team
- Email address
- hilhorst@iss.nl