The Internal Oversight Office (IOS) at UNESCO HQ commissioned Aleph to conduct a global evaluation of UNESCO’s action to protect culture in emergencies.

This evaluation assessed UNESCO’s work to protect culture in emergencies including the Organization’s six Culture Conventions and related programmes. UNESCO’s work in emergencies spans a wide range of modalities, from capacity building activities, such as the First Aid Course to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis delivered in Mali, Post-Disaster Needs Assessments, awareness raising campaigns such as Unite4heritage, support to Member States in the development of emergency response plans, and interventions, when requested, to stabilise built heritage, safeguard moveable heritage as well as intangible heritage, preserve underwater cultural heritage, and promote cultural expressions.

As the 2015 Strategy entered its fifth year of implementation, an evaluation was requested by the Culture Sector to generate findings, lessons learned and recommendations regarding the relevance and the effectiveness of its work to support countries in protecting culture in emergencies. The evaluation aimed to help UNESCO to strengthen, refocus and better coordinate the Organization’s work in the protection of culture in emergencies. We conducted extensive stakeholder consultations with culture sector, humanitarian and development stakeholders; two field visits to Mali and Indonesia; an online survey of Member States; and an exhaustive literature review.

A full report can be found here