Research, Evaluation and Learning at the International Rescue Committee – World – ReliefWeb

WHO WE ARE

The mission of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is tohelp people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflictand disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future.

The IRCs vision is to lead the humanitarian field by implementinghigh-impact, cost effective programs for people affected by crisis,and shape global policy and practice by sharing our learning andexperience with others.

All IRC programs are designed to achieve meaningful change inpeoples health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and ability toinfluence the decisions that affect their lives. The IRC maintainsa dedicated professional Research, Evaluation and Learning(REL) Technical Unit team to ensure that the organization is bothoutcomes driven and evidence based in its approach.

What do we mean by outcomes?

The IRC has made a commitment to focus on the impact wehave on the communities we serve my making measurableimprovements in their lives in five outcome areas: Health,Safety, Education, Economic Wellbeing and Power.

What do we mean by evidence?

Evidence refers to information that is systematically obtainedand analyzed to determine whether, how and why a givenintervention works. The IRC identifies, prioritizes and uses thebest available information from research studies that indicateand explain causal impact. We generate evidence usingrigorous methods that answer the most critical questions foraction.

WHY OUR WORK MATTERS

The IRC is committed to delivering services that achieve resultsfor people we serve by increasing the rigor with which we design,implement and evaluate our programs. In line with the IRCs 2020Strategy, programs are increasingly oriented around achievingspecific priority outcomes and designed based on the bestavailable evidence. In cases where evidence is weak or does notexist, the IRC conducts research to generate evidence.We are rolling out new tools to measure program data and trackthe results of programming. We use cost data to compare theefficiency and effectiveness of different interventions and deliverymodels across contexts with the goal of improving accountabilityand determining the best use of available resources. Theseapproaches enable the organization to help save lives andjumpstart recovery, use our resources most effectively, and achievemore sustainable solutions for the people we serve.

WHAT WE DO

IRC practitioners provide technical assistance to more than 30country programs. Technical advisors are charged with stayingabreast of the best available research and practices in theirrespective fields and sharing these with the IRCs frontline teams.They also lead advocacy strategies to encourage partners andpolicy makers to adopt the interventions proven to be effectivebased on our research and experience.

HOW WE DO IT

The REL Unit team is working to enhance the IRCs effectivenessby gathering and synthesizing the evidence base for what works;generating evidence where scant research exists; orienting theorganization around outcomes; building new tools and systems tosupport measurement; and optimizing our use of resources.

> Evidence Based

Understanding, referencing and applying the best availableresearch evidence to our programs enables the IRC to strengthenits effectiveness and improve the lives of conflict- and disasteraffected people.The IRC recognizes that delivering effective programming requiresbeing clear about outcomes and grounding the choice and designof our interventions in theories of change.

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Research, Evaluation and Learning at the International Rescue Committee - World - ReliefWeb