Background

Fieldworkers in conflict zones are often required to collect data and conduct surveys for many reasons including but not limited to testing a specific intervention, identifying gaps, audits, conducting research, advocacy and performance data. They are required to be impartial, independent, neutral and competent while working with vulnerable populations in a highly complex environment. This poses context-specific methodological and ethical challenges that fieldworkers face and have to make their own decisions about

1. Though the topic of ethics in conflict is gaining a lot of momentum, recent studies highlighted that fieldworkers from locally-based NGOs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have a significant gap in the knowledge and expertise in targeting context-specific ethical dilemmas 2 , 3
2.  This workshop aims to help MENA-based humanitarians gain knowledge of ethical principles and regulations, and assess and respond to ethical dilemmas faced in MENA-affected region.

Objective

The aim of this workshop is to provide frontline workers in conflict-affected settings with the knowledge and skills needed to integrate ethical principles especially when conducting research with vulnerable populations.

Upon successful completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Define ecology of war and recognize the importance of research and research ethics in conflict
2. Articulate rationales for integrating ethics in research
3. 3. Identify the major principles of research ethics
4. 4. Recognize how to obtain approval from an ethical committee board 5. Explore the various options to address some of the common conflict-specific ethical dilemmas with a focus on the MENA region

Participants

The workshop targets frontline workers working in conflict-affected settings in the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA). It also targets global health researchers, NGOs and practitioners from various disciplines, institutions, and career phases with an interest in research ethics in conflict-affected settings.