Founded in 2003 and based in Madrid, DARA is an independent non-profit organization committed to improving the quality and effectiveness of humanitarian action for vulnerable populations affected by armed conflict and natural disasters. Through research and evaluations, DARA encourages organizations to reflect on the impact of their work and help them take evidence-based decisions at the policy, strategy and programming levels, and in critical moments of delivering assistance. DARA actively promotes humanitarian principles, learning and accountability and supports innovative approaches.

What DARA Does
The Humanitarian Response Index The HRI independently analyses whether donor governments follow through with their commitment to respect humanitarian principles when allocating financial resources to crises. With the group of donors becoming larger and more diverse, the HRI has been updated and improved to continue to assess whether priorities are backed by humanitarian principles and evidence, and whether humanitarian aid funding addresses the immediate needs of the most vulnerable populations.

Independent Evaluations & Technical Assistance
Through evaluations, DARA provides a body of evidence on what works and what changes should be considered for humanitarian aid policies and programs to be more effective.

Examples include the WFP-UNHCR Impact Evaluations in Chad and Bangladesh, and the IASC Real-Time Evaluation of the 2010 Pakistan floods. In 2013, DARA is involved in the Real-Time Evaluation of UNHCR’s response to the Syrian refugee emergency.

Research & Policy Studies
Investigation areas for the 2013-16 period include improving humanitarian aid performance, particularly in conflict settings, advocating for better humanitarian donorship, and strengthening the role and responsibility of host governments and local and regional actors in addressing humanitarian challenges.

Risk Reduction Index
The RRI helps governments and civil society understand the risks that lead to disasters so that they can be fully addressed. In Central America and West Africa, the RRI has identified links between underlying risk factors and increased vulnerability, raising awareness around the need for greater risk management initiatives.