This document presents preliminary results from a questionnaire given to humanitarian aid professionals. 812 responses were analyzed. The results show that most respondents work for international NGOs and have a master's degree or higher. They have 6-20 years of experience and primarily communicate via email. Most consider themselves well-connected within their own organizations. When facing challenges, they typically seek guidance from within their organizations or sectors. The data also identifies the most common cities for humanitarian work and travel.

1. PROGRAM ON HUMANITARIAN POLICY AND CONFLICT RESEARCH (HPCR)
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
HUMANITARIAN INNOVATIONS
AND PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS
Preliminary Questionnaire Results
August 2012

2. The response to the questionnaire of this project has been excellent –
thank you to all of you who participated!
The questionnaire represented the first phase of our research project. This presentation displays
the preliminary results gathered from this questionnaire.
We received a total of 1,239 responses from a targeted survey population, 812 of which were
deemed eligible for inclusion in the study. Inclusion criteria were the return of a fully completed
questionnaire and self-reported active participation in humanitarian action within the last three
years.
The bar charts that follow are a selection of summary results to the corresponding questions as
indicated. They are followed by an illustration of the data gathered concerning cities of
humanitarian action: 126 cities were named as primary locations of humanitarian activity and 161
cities as destinations of professional travel by the surveyed population. Approximately 50% of all
travel destinations for humanitarian work reported in the questionnaire (664/1344) were to 13
cities. A series of ‘travel network maps’ then depicts the cities from where travel takes place
towards each of these 13 major draw cities. On these maps, the thickness of the line from each
city to the draw city (represented by a star) is proportionate to the frequency of this travel route
reported.
For more information on this project, please visit:
http://hpcrresearch.org/research/humanitarian-innovations-and-professional-networks

3. Which
sector(s)
of
humanitarian
ac:vity
do
you
work
in?
(Choose
as
many
as
apply)
CoordinaAon
Human
Rights
Humanitarian
ProtecAon
Management
Advocacy
/
CommunicaAon
EducaAon
/
Training
Fieldwork
Policy
Legal
Food
and
NutriAon
Water
and
SanitaAon
Livelihoods
Academic
Shelter
Security
of
staff
Fundraising
Medical
Engineering
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
No.
of
respondents
(of
total
812)

4. Please
select
the
type
of
your
current
employer
InternaAonal
NGO
UN
Agency,
Department
or
Program
Academic
insAtuAon
Local
NGO
Independent
consultant
InternaAonal
CommiNee
of
the
Red
Cross
(ICRC)
IFRC
and
Red
Cross
or
Red
Crescent
SocieAes
Donor
government
Private
sector
Military
Host
government
Regional
organizaAon
Media
0
50
100
150
200
250
No.
of
respondents
(of
total
812)

5. What
is
the
highest
level
of
formal
educa:on
you
have
completed?
PhD
/
Doctoral
degree
Master's
or
Graduate
degree
Undergraduate
university
degree
Technical
/
Professional
diploma
High
school
diploma
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
No.
of
respondents
(of
total
812)

6. How
many
years
of
experience
do
you
have
in
the
humanitarian
sector?
>
30
21
-­‐
30
11
-­‐
20
6
-­‐
10
3
-­‐
5
0
-­‐
2
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
No.
of
respondents
(of
total
812)

7. Do
you
hold
any
specific
cer:ficates
or
academic
qualifica:ons
in
humanitarian
ac:vi:es?
Yes
No
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
No.
of
respondents
(of
total
812)

8. Rate
the
modes
of
communica:on
you
primarily
use
to
engage
with
colleagues
and
peers
(equal
most
likely
ranking
permiIed)
E-­‐mails
Face-­‐to-­‐face
conversaAon
Telephone
calls
Online
conference
or
meeAngs
Mobile
phone
texAng
Social
media
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
No.
of
respondents
(of
total
812)

9. Reflec:ng
on
your
own
professional
networks
in
the
humanitarian
sector,
do
you
consider
yourself
to
be:
Well
connected
within
a
diverse
group
of
professionals
across
organizaAons
Well
connected
only
with
professionals
within
my
own
organizaAon
With
limited
professional
connecAons
within
my
organizaAon
or
across
agencies
Isolated
with
very
few
professional
connecAons
in
the
humanitarian
sector
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
No.
of
respondents
(of
total
812)

10.
When
faced
with
a
professional
challenge,
where
will
you
most
likely
be
looking
for
guidance?
(Equal
most
likely
ranking
permiIed)
Within
my
organizaAon
Within
my
sector
of
acAviAes
(e.g.
legal,
logisAcs,
etc.)
Among
peers
with
a
similar
level
of
formal
educaAon
Within
my
region
Within
my
city
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
No.
of
respondents
(of
total
812)

12. 10.9%
18.2%
Geneva
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
Geneva
Switzerland
in
Geneva

13. 10.2%
12.2%
Nairobi
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
Nairobi
Kenya
in
Nairobi

14. 2.9%
7.5%
Brussels
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
Brussels
Belgium
in
Brussels

15. 8.4%
6.7%
London
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
London
England
in
London

16. 8.9%
6.7%
New
York
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
New
York
USA
in
New
York

17. 8.4%
6.3%
Washington
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
USA
in
Washington
Washington

18. 2.0%
4.9%
Amman
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
Amman
Jordan
in
Amman

19. 1.6%
4.6%
Bangkok
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
Thailand
in
Bangkok
Bangkok

20. 1.4%
4.3%
Addis
Ababa
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
Ethiopia
in
Addis
Ababa
Addis
Ababa

21. 1.8%
3.6%
Kampala
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
Uganda
in
Kampala
Kampala

22. 2.5%
3.0%
Paris
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
France
in
Paris
Paris

23. 1.4%
2.8%
Islamabad
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
Pakistan
in
Islamabad
Islamabad

24. 0.8%
2.6%
Cairo
Humanitarians
primarily
working
Humanitarians
traveling
to
Egypt
in
Cairo
Cairo