Considering the principles for integrating social science into humanitarian practice. Part of a video presentation on the role of social science in humanitarian action.
news

New SSHAP learning videos collection

9th June 2025
SSHAP has published a collection of short videos featuring methods, tools and thinking to aid the use of social science approaches in humanitarian and health emergency response practice. This free collection is for researchers, humanitarian practitioners or others interested in learning and incorporating social science analysis in their work.
Stella Loki is a journalist at Eye Radio, South Sudan. Radio is the most important source of information in South Sudan. Independent media is critical for providing reliable information to citizens, including populations displaced by conflict.
blog

The impacts of global aid funding cuts on independent journalism in South Sudan

In South Sudan, information is as vital as food, water, and shelter. Yet, amid ongoing funding cuts to global aid, development and emergency response, one of the most critical – and often overlooked – lifelines is being threatened: community radio.
Central and East Africa Hub
Sarah Poni Subandrio, Stephen Omiri, Chris Marol, Jennifer Palmer
30 May 2025
Improvised structures and tents sit alongside single story buildings in a camp for internally displaced people in northeast Nigeria
blog

Promoting effective humanitarian service delivery through strategic partnerships

Humanitarian crises are growing in complexity and impact. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs nearly 300 million people globally needed humanitarian assistance and protection in 2024. In a world plagued by natural disasters, violent conflict, and public health emergencies, humanitarian service delivery is critical.
Ayodele Jegede
29 Apr 2025
South Sudan political map with capital Juba, national borders, important cities, rivers and lakes. Illustration with English labelling and scaling.
blog

Aid cuts and healthcare devastation in South Sudan

Among the countries worst affected from the sudden and wide-ranging US aid cuts is South Sudan. South Sudan relies on international assistance to provide basic services to its people. Cuts will devastate its healthcare system, including its ability to prepare for and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.
Central and East Africa Hub
Leben Moro
6 Apr 2025
SSHAP Fellows
blog

Reflecting on SSHAP’s skills building initiatives: learning from participants

A key dimension of the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform’s approach to mobilising evidence on the social dimensions of emergency responses is helping to build capacity and regional networks of social scientists and practitioners. This blog shares insights from the experiences of participants.
Tom Barker, Joe Taylor, Megan Schmidt-Sane, Santiago Ripoll
4 Apr 2025
Caption: WHO Mpox prevention poster Credit: Author's own
blog

Learning from an evolving public health emergency to guide responses to mpox in Africa

As mpox continues to spread within the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries, concern is growing over how best to respond to this second mpox Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Research in Nigeria during the first PHEIC points to the importance of involving affected community perspectives.
West Africa Hub
Michael Kunnuji, Olufunke Adegoke, Megan Schmidt-Sane, Hayley MacGregor, Akanni Lawanson, Syed Abbas, Ayodele Jegede
20 Mar 2025
UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office visits the stores of Tawilla hospital, Darfur.
news

Connecting social scientists and humanitarians to tackle local challenges

12th March 2025
The UK's Humanitarian Innovation Hub has featured SSHAP in its series of case studies on academic-practitioner collaborations in humanitarian settings. The case study features learning from SSHAP and highlights key components of SSHAP's approach, including localisation, network building and evidence on demand.
blog

Sharing your social science findings for emergency response

Learn why setting up multiple channels, presenting in different fora and adapting to decision makers’ schedules is key in this fourth in a five-part blog series. The series offers social scientists tips to better connect with humanitarian responders and planners in advocating for evidence-informed emergency response.
Ginger A. Johnson
12 Dec 2024
blog

Tailoring your message effectively for emergency response

Find out why you should know your audience – their name, their organisation, their sector (and its jargon) – in this third in a five-part blog series. The series offers social scientists tips to better connect with humanitarian responders and planners in advocating for evidence-informed emergency response.
Ginger A. Johnson
11 Dec 2024
blog

Promoting the value of qualitative methods for emergency response

Suggestions on how to respond to questions about social science methodologies comprise the first in a five-part blog series. The series offers social scientists tips to better connect with humanitarian responders and planners in advocating for evidence-informed emergency response.
Ginger A. Johnson
9 Dec 2024
NIAID/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
blog

A new mpox emergency declared but the politics of global inequities persist

In this blog, Hayley MacGregor considers how the surge of mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and beyond underscores the need for urgent global action, stronger health systems and ongoing investment in pandemic preparedness.
Central and East Africa Hub
Hayley MacGregor
19 Aug 2024
Priority health challenges in Enugu State, Nigeria. A word cloud from a social science in action workshop.
blog

Improving outbreak preparedness and response in Enugu State, Nigeria

The Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform (SSHAP) supported the Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency and the Enugu State Ministry of Health to strengthen their qualitative research capacity to improve preparedness for disease outbreak. This blog shares learning from the process.
West Africa Hub
Joe Taylor
30 Jul 2024
news

SSHAP outputs available in multiple languages

25th July 2024
Whilst the SSHAP website can be viewed in Arabic, French and English, SSHAP continues to produce tailored translations of downloadable (PDF) evidence briefs and other outputs in a of languages based on partners’ needs and contexts.
Course participants pilot their data collection tools by speaking with mothers, Mazowe Health Facility, Zimbabwe. June 2024
blog

Using Rapid Qualitative Assessments for emergency response in Zimbabwe

Rapid qualitative assessments can contribute to efforts to strengthen community awareness, preparedness and response by improving practitioners’ understandings of emergency contexts and helping to tailor strategies and approaches to people’s needs, capacities, and resilience mechanisms. The Collective Service and partners have been piloting a comprehensive and open source social science…
Ginger A. Johnson
17 Jul 2024
Map of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
news

SSHAP hosts roundtable discussion on the mpox outbreak in the DRC

11th June 2024
Contextual social, political and livelihood understandings, factors affecting care-seeking and challenges to vaccination rollout were among the on-the-ground realities relating to mpox spread that experts discussed.
Central and East Africa Hub
news

Introducing the first Arabic language cohort of SSHAP Fellows

19th February 2024
We are excited to announce the 12 individuals who will be participating in the first Arabic language phase of the SSHAP fellowship. This cohort includes social scientists and humanitarian practitioners from The MENA region as well as West and East Africa.
news

Call for applications for the first Arabic SSHAP Fellowship

13th December 2023
We are launching the next phase of our Fellowship Programme in Arabic to begin in February 2024. The fellowship is for future leaders who can make linkages between social science and humanitarian emergencies in a locally relevant way.
EVENT
14 December 2023
Decolonising Humanitarian Action: A Multiplicity of Meanings, Modes and Methods

Decolonising Humanitarian Action: A Multiplicity of Meanings, Modes & Methods

On 14 December 2023, this webinar, led by SSHAP Fellows, explored the multiple and emerging meanings, modes and methods for decolonising aid and emergency response. Le 14 décembre 2023, ce webinaire, animé par les boursiers SSHAP, explorera les significations, modes et méthodes multiples et émergents pour décoloniser l'aide et les…
blog

‘Sword in the water’: local peoples’ perceptions of NGOs in eastern DRC

In this blog, Sylvie Imata and Godefroid Muzalia, who work at Groupe d'Etudes sur les Conflits et la Sécurité Humaine (GEC-SH) - a Central & East Africa Regional Hub partner organisation - explore how humanitarian actors, including NGOs, can be aware of and sensitive to the needs and perceptions of…
Central and East Africa Hub
Sylvie Imata, Godefroid Muzalia
24 Oct 2023
news

Applications now open for the ARHE 2023 Policy Brief Award

9th August 2023
The Anthropological Responses to Health Emergencies (ARHE) Policy Brief Award recognises the outstanding application of anthropological insights to policies around health emergencies. Apply for the $100 award by 15 September 2023.