Literature monitoring

The Empowerment Paradox: How humanitarian governance produces the gender inequality it seeks to fix, Farhana Afrin Rahman, Policy Brief, EXCEPT, 2026

In the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, programmes intended to support and empower women are frequently channelled through male gatekeepers. This policy brief examines the resulting “empowerment paradox” and argues that recognising and supporting women’s existing forms of authority is essential to more effective and equitable humanitarian action.

https://www.xcept-research.org/publication/the-empowerment-paradox-how-humanitarian-governance-produces-the-gender-inequality-it-seeks-to-fix/

The impact and future of the Grand Bargain: Perceptions of local and national civil society across the Global South, Survey Analysis, A4EP, NEAR, 2026

This report captures the perspectives and voices of over 350 local and national civil society organisations from the Global South at a critical moment in time: this year marks the 10-year anniversary of the World Humanitarian Summit, the end of Grand Bargain 3.0, and the negotiation of a new platform.

https://near.ngo/resources/survey-analysis-the-impact-and-future-of-the-grand-bargain-perceptions-of-local-and-national-civil-society-across-the-global-south/

Humanity in the Loop : Responsible AI Adaptation for Humanitarian Organizations, Sophie Byrne, Andrej Verity, Digital Humantiarian Network, 2026

Humanity in the Loop proposes a four-pillar framework for responsible AI adaptation in humanitarian organisations. The approach places human expertise and judgement at the centre while calling for continuous learning, proportionate governance, strong data foundations and greater coordination across the humanitarian ecosystem. One particularly valuable idea is that time saved through automation should not simply disappear into more administrative work. It can be redirected towards the activities where people bring the greatest value, including engagement with affected communities.

https://alnap.org/help-library/resources/humanity-in-the-loop-principled-ai-adaptation-for-humanitarian-organizations/