LNOB · Leave No One Behind: Youth in Protracted Crises

Effective humanitarian programs are predicated on a detailed and accurate understanding of what is happening on the ground. So often, however, humanitarian organizations do not have access to such information, and they lack the in-house capacity to conduct empirical research in conflict-affected areas. This gap—between generating scientifically grounded knowledge and engaging in humanitarian action— results in programs that are ineffective or misaligned with the needs of crisis-affected populations on the ground. The proposed project Leave No One Behind will bridge this gap by bringing together an academic researcher with a non-governmental humanitarian organization to conduct research primarily on a vulnerable population-- adolescent girls—who are living in protracted displacement and fragile environments. Leave No One Behind seeks to answer the following overarching research questions using quantitative and qualitative methodologies 1) What are the push and pull factors for early marriage in fragile environments and what are potential local solutions to decrease this practice? 2) What are the decision-making processes of refugee families with adolescents and unaccompanied minors who seek to integrate locally or return to their country of origin and what could support durable solutions? The research will be conducted in the Sahel region of Africa and Lebanon with the support of the host organization that currently has a presence in both regions. Leave No One Behind represents an applied research, based on identified needs, that will generate recommendations that are immediately actionable by the host organization, as well as local and international organizations involved in humanitarian action, advocacy, and policy. Beyond the actual research project, Leave No One Behind comprises a host of skills and continuous knowledge transfers between the researcher and the organization throughout the fellowship including two-way trainings, workshops, and regular consultation