Defining, measuring and interpreting the appropriateness of humanitarian assistance

This paper presents findings from a literature review of methods that explicitly assess the appropriateness of a humanitarian response. We set out to highlight the key features and limitations of each method and introduce a definition and conceptual framework for the measurement and interpretation of the appropriateness of humanitarian responses. This review is part of a broader project to enhance the accountability of humanitarian responses through developing auditing approaches for real-time monitoring. We identified eight methods that explicitly analyse the appropriateness of a humanitarian response. The review revealed that existing methods vary considerably in their definitions of ‘appropriateness’, provide insufficient guidance on measurement, are vulnerable to interpretive bias and frequently report findings on ‘appropriateness’ in an ambiguous manner. These findings suggest that, as a matter of accountability, more structured and systematic approaches to measuring the appropriateness of humanitarian response are needed. We propose a definition and conceptual framework for the measurement and interpretation of the appropriateness of humanitarian response that seeks to address the limitations identified in the review. We provide a brief overview of the main components and features of a systematic approach and audit tool for assessing the ‘appropriateness’ of a humanitarian response. The use of this and other systematic approaches is essential for enhancing governance and accountability in humanitarian responses.