January 2024 – June 2024 (finished)

STAAR was funded by FCDO to design and support the delivery of the ‘Global forum on social protection in conflict’, co-hosted by WFP, UNICEF, USAID and BMZ.

Its aim was to strengthen action on social protection in situations of acute, rapid onset and protracted conflicts, recognising social protection as an essential component of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus.

The forum had strong participation from researchers, private sector and government representatives, NGOs and civil society, who convened together to discuss routes to impact, support to systems strengthening and created a Charter for Action towards more effective social protection in settings of fragility and conflict. The charter includes 15 statements on critical and promising areas for change – collectively prioritised and refined by the participants ” experimente cortar ou copiar novamente.

January 2023 – October 2023 (finished)

The assignment, commissioned by FCDO, provided a desk-based analysis on the role of social protection in responding to the needs of displaced people in Ukraine, as well as in Poland, Moldova, the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Hungary.

It aimed to identify how social protection systems could integrate with humanitarian assistance to support a transition from emergency aid to long-term support, ensuring sustainability and freeing up resources for other crises.

The analysis produced a comprehensive briefing paper and country profiles for each of the seven target countries, with findings influencing discussions around social protection policies and practices. These outputs were widely shared and cited, contributing to the regional response and informing further policy recommendations in Ukraine and Moldova.

April 2022 – July 2022 (finished)

FCDO have commissioned STAAR’s support to produce a briefing paper on key considerations and options for strengthening humanitarian and social protection linkages (including transitions) in the Ukraine regional refugee response.
This paper focuses on Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Based on a literature review and key informant interviews conducted in May 2022, it examines social protection systems, humanitarian cash transfers, and the response up to that point. The paper provides recommendations to enhance linkages between cash assistance and social protection, aiming to make these systems more shock-responsive.
This analysis informed FCDO’s work on the Ukraine Regional Refugee Response, including strategic planning, development of country response plans, and technical assistance on humanitarian-social protection linkages. It supported engagement with donors and agencies, and contributed to regional efforts across key countries. A clear, accessible briefing provided practical recommendations for coordinated, inclusive support for refugees.

November 2022 – March 2024 (finished)

STAAR’s support was requested by the WFP Somalia Country Office, to strengthen WFP’s engagement in Social Protection in the humanitarian-development-peace nexus (HDP).

The support consisted of a social protection specialist adviser forming a methodological design, literature review, data collection and supporting a workshop on social protection for stakeholders, along with supporting the delivery and implementation of the study to position itself and maximise its contributions to the development of social protection.

STAAR produced the analysis and recommendations, taking stock of progress on social protection in Somalia, for WFP to pinpoint how best to provide support for this progress in line with its Country Strategic Plan. The study has extrapolated lessons applicable to other Fragile and Conflict-affected States (FCAS).

August 2022 – December 2023 (finished)

STAAR, funded by FCDO Ethiopia, conducted a desk-based study from August to December 2022 to explore how social protection programmes can adapt in conflict-affected areas.

The study focused on practical methods for adapting social protection systems in response to conflict, with an emphasis on managing risks, ensuring efficient delivery, and addressing the challenges faced in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

The findings provided actionable recommendations for enhancing PSNP’s resilience, including improvements in portability, targeting, and digital systems. These insights were used to inform the PSNP’s mid-term review, although budget constraints limited full implementation.

May 2024 – March 2025 (finished) 

Ethiopia Cash Working Group (ECWG) has requested STAAR’s support in improving the conflict sensitivity of their work.

Through a long-term adviser, STAAR’s support involves providing technical assistance, coordination support and facilitation expertise, as well as support to UNICEF’s humanitarian cash programme in the context of conflict sensitivity and cross coordination between different existing platforms in social protection/cash programming.

The support is intended to make conflict-sensitivity and responsiveness an integral part of all coordination activities of the ECW and provide a challenge and question function about what can be done differently.