Postdoc at the Ruhr-University Bochum (Institute for Peacekeeping Law and International Humanitarian Law) and project collaborator in her field research in Bangladesh, 2020, together with two colleagues

Applied Research

Our goal: Research on the operationalisation of the IASC Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action and concomitant programmatic and organisational change processes in policy and practice.

The Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) at the Ruhr-University Bochum will carry out the research activities. The results will be published and made available for practitioners, policy makers, and scholars of humanitarian action.

The research activities include:

A scoping review to assess the literature and identify research gaps on the implementation of the IASC Guidelines.

Field research in international organizations to explore how disability inclusion can be strengthened in pooled funds, humanitarian response planning, resourcing and/or coordination.

A collection of case studies of good practices on disability inclusion in humanitarian crises worldwide.

Comparative participatory research in East and West Africa to examine how policy changes inform humanitarian practice in the field.

Dissemination of findings in conferences and workshops with humanitarian stakeholders.

Dissemination and publication of the research findings

The research aims to promote change in humanitarian programming through documentation and assessment of good practices and sharing of research findings with states, donors and humanitarian actors.

The articles and reports are publicly available and disseminated through our project channels and activities.

Here you can find our publications:

Publications & material

Updates on Applied Research:

The Road to Inclusion: Advancing Disability-Inclusive Protection Programming and Coordination in North-East Nigeria

By Heidi Villikka|17. June 2025

Have a look at our latest publication on disability inclusion in humanitarian action in north-east Nigeria. The report draws on field research conducted by our research partner, the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV). It examines both the progress made and the persistent gaps in integrating disability-inclusive approaches into protection efforts. […]

Workshop on Disability Inclusion in Humanitarian Action

By Heidi Villikka|12. September 2024

Our project partner IFHV, the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict, Ruhr University Bochum organised a workshop to discuss on best practices on disability inclusion in field of humanitarian action. The Phase 3 – Leave no one behind! workshop on the joint edited volume “Disability Inclusion in Humanitarian Action: From Promises to Practice” successfully concluded on September […]

IFHV Research Studies Inclusion of People with Disabilities in South Sudan’s Humanitarian Action

By Heidi Villikka|12. June 2024

Our project partner, IFHV research associate Abu Faisal Md. Khaled recently conducted a field research in South Sudan, contributing to a deeper understanding of disability inclusion in humanitarian response. This research falls under our project activities and is part of the applied research component on innovation and impact of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with […]

View all posts