Based on a review of rigorous impact evaluations and interviews with practitioners, policymakers and academics, the ability of Community-Driven Development/Reconstruction (CDD/R) programs to reach the ambitious goals of improving socio-economic welfare, governance and social cohesion was limited.

This report provides a summary of the findings and recommendations that arose out of the field assessment which are aimed to help policy makers improve the current and future response to the arrival of unaccompanied children from Central America. 

To better gauge Afghans’ hopes and fears regarding the future of the country, IRC researchers consulted 136 of the 650 Afghans who serve on our staff across the country. This report highlights their observations and outlines recommendations for international engagement in Afghanistan beyond 2014.

One year ago, European states closed their borders along the Western Balkan route and European Union (EU) leaders put in place the EU-Turkey Statement, a so-called temporary measure to stop irregular migration to Europe. Now EU leaders are declaring their approach a success. The International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Oxfam are providing humanitarian response on the Greek islands and mainland, and as our experience clearly shows, the context on the ground is far more troubling and complex.

This brief is a joint effort by 12 national and international humanitarian agencies to raise awareness about this ongoing but hidden crisis for some of the world’s most vulnerable children, specifically focusing on UASC in Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Serbia and Croatia. 

Today’s refugee crisis poses serious challenges to the international order. Conflict and crisis have pushed some 21 million people to seek refuge outside their home countries, including 5 million who have fled Syria since the civil war began in 2011. Approximately 76 percent of refugees live outside of camp settings, making it even more difficult to locate and reach them with essential services. Furthermore, protracted displacement has become the “new normal.” Refugees now spend an average of 10 years away from their homes, and for refugees displaced more than five years, the average is 21 years.

Women and girls affected by humanitarian crisis are exposed to heightened risks of violence and exploitation. It is therefore vital that emergency response prevents violence and empowers women and girls to improve their own well-being and that of their families and communities, including through cash relief.