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Lessons of lessons - A window into the evolution of the humanitarian system

Countries
World
Sources
ALNAP
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Introduction

The humanitarian system uses monitoring and evaluation as a primary way to assess its own performance, learn and evolve. From the agency- and programme-specific, to large-scale and system-wide, humanitarian evaluations and their lessons are central for maintaining accountability within an otherwise largely unregulated sector.

For the past 25 years, ALNAP has shared lessons about humanitarian system performance as part of its mission to use learning to improve humanitarian crisis response. Between 2003 and 2021, ALNAP published 20 ‘Lessons Papers’, which synthesise evaluation findings and recommendations across a range of contexts, disaster types and themes. These papers provide critical lessons and facilitate performance improvement for those who design, implement and evaluate humanitarian responses (Dillon and Campbell, 2018).

This review is a meta-analysis of nearly two decades of these ALNAP Lessons Papers. It aims to identify where and how the humanitarian system has evolved over time, and also show areas where progress has been weaker and attention is still needed.