Aleksandra Kraszkiewicz, Monitoring & Evaluation Advisor at Concern Worldwide, Dublin, Ireland

date:
05/04/2023, 10:00 am

meeting:
Room 268, Staszic Palace, Nowy Świat 72, Warsaw

Event supported by NAWA Welcome to Poland.

ABSTRACT

This seminar engages doctoral students with experiences accumulated in the humanitarian NGO sector. We discuss the historical evolution of humanitarian assessments, the various types of assessments and their application, the controversies surrounding the use of different approaches to standardize and quantify humanitarian needs, as well as the role of monitoring and evaluation in the process of generating and understanding the data, which ultimately serve as evidence for the decisions shaping humanitarian responses. The concept of humanitarian assessments can be traced back to the early 20th century, when the International Red Cross began conducting surveys to identify the needs of people affected by war. Since then, various organizations, including the United Nations (UN) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), have adopted different methods to assess the needs of people affected by disasters and conflicts. The humanitarian NGO sector has witnessed significant growth in recent decades, primarily driven by global disasters and conflicts. However, the conventional practice of providing aid without adequately assessing the actual requirements of the beneficiaries and measuring its impact has faced criticism. In response, evidence-based humanitarianism has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional approaches. This paradigm entails a quantification of the needs and impact of humanitarian aid. The lecture titled “Evidence-Based Humanitarianism – Quantifying Needs and Impact in the Humanitarian NGO Sector” delves into the historical evolution of humanitarian assessments, the various types of assessments and their application, the controversies surrounding the use of different approaches to standardize and quantify humanitarian needs, as well as the role of monitoring and evaluation in the process of generating and understanding the data, which ultimately serves as evidence for the decisions shaping humanitarian responses.

The seminar is open to all.

Speakers

Aleksandra Kraszkiewicz

Lawyer and sociologist

Aleksandra Kraszkiewicz is a lawyer and sociologist by education, seasoned with postgraduate diplomas in Development Cooperation Policy and Management, as well as Monitoring and Evaluation. Since the early 2000s engaged in various civil society initiatives as a trainer and facilitator. As part of master’s studies an apprentice in European and African non-governmental organizations, focusing on the design and implementation of development projects. Between 2014 and 2017 involved in the preparation and execution of 6 projects in East Africa and Southeast Asia funded under the Polish Aid government program as well as an EU Trust Fund funded programme in Uganda.

Since February 2018, working for the Irish dual-mandate organization- Concern Worldwide, currently as a Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor. An enthusiast of qualitative research and cultural anthropology.

Listen to Aleksandra Kraszkiewicz’s talk on our Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/1LVwczQ802c