Research overview
Research and analysis is critical to support effective development policy and decision-making processes, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected areas. AusAID’s partnerships with leading international research and analytical organisations help AusAID staff and whole-of-government partners improve the evidence-base of policy and programming decisions. AusAID’s 2011 Framework for working in fragile and conflict-affected states emphasises the importance of high quality contextual analysis to enable AusAID to manage risk effectively, understand each unique local context, and make good decisions about priorities and sequencing.
Our partnerships are guided by the following objectives:
- Promoting increased and targeted information exchange with the aim of improving the evidence-base for aid programming and policy in situations of fragility and conflict.
- Using evidence generated through our partnerships to influence and inform the international and domestic dialogue on aid and development in situations of fragility and conflict.
- Shaping and influencing international thinking about effective approaches to promoting peace, stability and development in fragile and conflict-affected environments by drawing on Australian experience.
- Supporting a stronger process for collaboratively identifying and researching aid and development effectiveness issues of strategic priority to AusAID and our partner institutions.
International Crisis Group (ICG)
The International Crisis Group is one of the world’s leading independent, non-partisan sources of analysis and advice on conflict prevention and resolution. ICG provides practical analysis and policy-applicable recommendations on potential conflict situations, and has been providing authoritative analysis on key political, security and conflict issues for many years.
Australia’s partnership with the International Crisis Group facilitates policy dialogue and enables the two organisations to share experiences and develop practical approaches of working in conflict-affected environments.
More information on the International Crisis Group [external website]
The Asia Foundation (TAF)
The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that has supported programs in the Asia-Pacific region for over 50 years. It seeks to help improve governance, law, civil society, women's empowerment, economic reform and development, and international relations. It collaborates with private and public partners to support leadership and institutional development, exchanges, and policy research at both country and regional levels. The Asia Foundation draws on operational experience to produce and implement high quality analysis and guidance.
The Strategic Partnership Agreement between AusAID and The Asia Foundation enables increased knowledge sharing and program collaboration between our organisations to improve our work in the Asia-Pacific. The Partnership seeks to improve our responses to the unique challenges of programming in the region, including in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. AusAID and The Asia Foundation now work together in many countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal.
More information on the Asia Foundation [external website]
Centre on International Cooperation (CIC)
The Center on International Cooperation (CIC) is a research and policy development organisation focusing on issues of global security, humanitarian crises and peacekeeping. CIC is highly regarded within the UN system and has received funding from a variety of donors and institutions including the UN, UK and Canadian Governments, and the World Bank Group. CIC’s Afghanistan Reconstruction Program advised the Afghan government and the UN mission on the drafting and negotiation of the Afghanistan Compact.
Under the AusAID-CIC partnership, CIC provides up-to-date analysis and guidance on security and development issues. Specifically, the research program focuses on four areas:
- state fragility
- prevention of conflict and state collapse in the Asia/Pacific region
- service delivery in actively contested zones
- the Afghanistan reconstruction program.
A focus on Afghanistan and the border region with Pakistan is an important part of the relationship.
More information on the Centre on International Cooperation [external website]
Governance and Social Development Resource Centre (GSDRC)
The Governance and Social Development Resource Centre (GSDRC) aims to reduce poverty by providing high quality, timely research and information to support international development project and program planning, policy-making, and other activities in the field. Founded in 2005, the GSDRC is operated by the University of Birmingham, the Institute for Development Studies, Social Development Direct, and Coffey International Development. In addition to conducting research, the GSDRC maintains an online document library, produces topic guides and provides consultancy services.
Having been established in response to demand from the UK Department for International Development (DFID), its services produce the kind of easily digestible policy-ready analysis and research AusAID requires, including capturing and sharing what other donors are doing in a particular context or topic.
More information on the Governance and Social Development Resource Centre [external website]
Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum (CPPF)
The Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum (CPPF) was created at the Social Science Research Council in October 2000 to strengthen the knowledge base and analytical capacity of the UN system. CPPF supports UN policymaking and operations by providing UN decision-makers rapid access to leading scholars, experts, and practitioners outside the UN system through informal consultations, off-the-record briefings, and commissioned research. CPPF has first-hand experience with UN policy and operational planning, and an extensive network of experts who complement their expertise.
More information on the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum [external website]
Institute for State Effectiveness (ISE)
The Institute for State Effectiveness (ISE) was founded in 2005 to develop integrated approaches to state-building and provide independent, authoritative and practical policy advice to the international community and national leaders. ISE produces actionable strategies and publications on issues of state fragility and statebuilding.
The ISE provides AusAID staff and our whole-of-government partners with advice and analysis on practical options for engagement in fragile and conflict-affected countries, including in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and across Africa.
More information on the Institute for State Effectiveness [external website]
Small Arms Survey (SAS)
The Small Arms Survey (SAS) is an independent research project located at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. It serves as a key international source of public information on all aspects of small arms and armed violence and as a resource for governments, policy-makers and researchers.
The Small Arms Survey is the project’s annual review of global small arms issues, including production, stockpiles, brokering, legal and illicit arms transfers, the effects of small arms, and national, bilateral, and multilateral measures to deal with the problems associated with small arms. The Survey presents detailed country and regional case studies as well as research findings on data, methodological, and conceptual issues. The Small Arms Survey also commissions research and conducts collaborative projects with independent researchers, international organizations, UN agencies, research organizations, NGOs, and partner institutions throughout the world.
More information on the Small Arms Survey [external website]