Restitution of findings in humanitarian research: Guidance note

This guidance note, produced by Elrha in consultation with humanitarian stakeholders, provides practical approaches for sharing research findings with communities affected by humanitarian crises. It addresses a critical gap in the research cycle: restitution of findings: returning data, evidence, and knowledge to the communities that contributed to the research.  

The guidance note explains why restitution is an ethical imperative, outlines its benefits for community empowerment and research impact, and offers actionable steps for planning, delivering, and following up on restitution activities.

Key topics include:

• What restitution of findings means and why it matters for trust, uptake, and humanitarian outcomes.

• Practical guidance on mapping communities, planning communications, and budgeting.

• Participatory methods for sharing findings, from town hall meetings to creative storytelling.

• Risk considerations and strategies for sensitive topics.

• The “Know-Ask-Understand” framework for meaningful dialogue.

Who should read this guidance note?

• Humanitarian researchers seeking to embed ethical and impactful practices in their work.

• Research institutions and ethics committees developing standards for community engagement.

• Humanitarian programme managers and practitioners who want to ensure evidence is communicated effectively and meaningfully to community stakeholders.

• Funders and policy-makers interested in improving research uptake and accountability.

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