ReliefWeb

1. Research and knowledge management

Goal: the secretariat acts as a resource and information hub promoting a culture of learning and reflection that leads to improvements in durable solutions programing and policies Researches/ studies approach Continue to promote a collaborative research/ learning process involving members and other relevant stakeholders to support broader ownership, better uptake of ReDSS studies’ recommendations. This collaborative process will ensure that the studies conducted build on members’ priorities. 2 main approaches:

• ReDSS lead studies that will be supported financially/ technically by partner(s)

• Partner lead studies that will be supported technically by ReDSS Thematic focus to build specific evidence (operational research)
Researches will be theme focused in order to build specific evidence on issues. The studies will be focused on displacement affected communities (including host communities) rather than solely on refugees/ returnees/ IDPs. Priority areas identified are:

• Local integration, transitional solutions and self-reliance/ refugees’ economies - displacement included in National Development Plan (NDP)

• Return and reintegration processes

• Solutions in urban context and early solutions planning

• Political economy and discourse on displacement and solutions– asylum space within the political arena and political context and incentive structures within which national refugee,
IDP, returnee, and related policies are made

• Role of private sector in displacement (skills building and technology)

• Children and youth – the majority of the displaced in the region • ReDSS Solutions framework analyses (Somalia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya)

Knowledge management

• Secretariat to develop a research and knowledge management strategy

• Secretariat to organize quarterly thematic (learning) events/ debates (2 hours) on key issues around displacement and solutions with Rift Valley Institute

• Develop an Open data system on ReDSS website