The Humanitarian Exchange and Research Centre works to close the gap between policy and humanitarian practice.

About Us

Founded in Geneva in 2014, the Humanitarian Exchange and Research Centre (HERE) works to close the gap between policy and humanitarian practice. We endeavour to understand and promote the steps that need to be taken in order to uphold the rights of crisis-affected people.

2022 Annual report

We are proud to share our 2022 Annual Report with you! The purpose of this report is not only to showcase what we achieved last year, but also to reflect on our work. Much of our work in 2022 explored the balance between the individual and the collective.
Read the annual report

SPOTLIGHT

HERE-Geneva is turning ten years old this year and starting to think about its third institutional strategy. Ahead of its drafting, HERE’s Board is commissioning a 'light' independent review of our work: input from external stakeholders has been sought in elaborating our previous institutional strategies, but HERE has not been the subject of an external review of how it can best achieve its ambitions. Apply now!
Read the ToR

We've been HERE for 10 years

HERE-Geneva turns ten in November this year. From the start, HERE focused on the discrepancy between policy and practice. In the lead-up to our anniversary, join us as we look back on previous work, highlighting the lessons and recommendations that past pieces have brought up and exploring any outcomes, follow-up, or lack thereof.
Access the retrospective

Annual report 2023

Humanitarian interdependencies were an overarching theme of our work in 2023. HERE's annual report gives an overview of our 2023 projects, events and partnerships, and the lessons emerging from the above.
Read the annual report

IAHE of the Response to the Crisis in Northern Ethiopia

Following the activation of the system-wide Scale-Up Protocols, OCHA, on behalf of the Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluation Steering Group, contracted HERE to undertake the Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluation (IAHE) of the collective response to the crisis in Northern Ethiopia. This response amounted to system failure.
Read the final report

We've been HERE for 10 years

This year, HERE turns ten! In a special episode of our Hear, HERE! podcast, we use the opportunity of this anniversary to see how the humanitarian sector has changed over time – or not. This kicks off the retrospective of our work over the past decade.
Listen to the podcast

Roundtable summary note

In May 2023, HERE organised a roundtable to explore what remains to – and can possibly – be done in terms of humanitarian reform.This summary note reflects the contents of the discussion without attribution to participants.
Read the summary note

UNICEF L3 response in Yemen I Final Report

This evaluation provides a comprehensive assessment of UNICEF’s programmatic and operational response in Yemen between 2019 and 2022 against its own mandate, corporate commitments, stated objectives and standard evaluation criteria. It also captures lessons learned and good practices to inform UNICEF’s work across future L3 emergencies.
Read the final report

IAHE of the Response to the Crisis in Northern Ethiopia

Following the activation of the system-wide Scale-Up Protocols, OCHA, on behalf of the Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluation Steering Group, contracted HERE to undertake the Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluation (IAHE) of the collective response to the crisis in Northern Ethiopia. This response amounted to system failure.
Read the final report

The Future of Humanitarian Coordination

Supported by the governments of Sweden, Norway and Switzerland, this project aims to provide actionable suggestions on how to address some of the longstanding challenges in the way of effective humanitarian coordination. Starting from working hypotheses on what impedes coordination, major pressure points are identified to offer suggestions for both quick fixes and long-term solutions.
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ongoing work

Principled humanitarian response in Sudan

Seventeen months after war erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April 2023, Sudan is facing one of the worst humanitarian crises globally. The purpose of this study, commissioned by the INGO Forum in Sudan, is to reflect, together with the INGO community in Sudan, on what it means to provide principled humanitarian programming in a context like Sudan and to identify recommendations that would strengthen principled humanitarian action in view of further increasing access to assistance and protection for affected populations.
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HERE Publications

We carry out applied, mixed-methods research and analysis, engage in dialogue with operational humanitarian actors, and feed the humanitarian community with independent reports, policy papers, and studies. Browse through our library!

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