TY  - JOUR
T1  - Ethics Oversight in Conflict Research: Why Some Studies in Darfur Were Conducted Without Approval – Insights from a Qualitative Investigation
A1  - Fatima Noor
A1  - Ahmed Raza
A1  - Sana Mahmood
JF  - Asian Journal of Ethics in Health and Medicine
JO  - Asian J Ethics Health Med
SN  - 3108-5059
Y1  - 2021
VL  - 1
IS  - 1
DO  - 10.51847/Xp2e1ZcO0G
SP  - 161
EP  - 172
N2  - Armed conflicts involve numerous challenges that make it more difficult to adhere to standard research ethics compared to studies conducted during peacetime. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the factors influencing the reporting of ethical approval in published research, using studies carried out by humanitarian agencies in Darfur, western Sudan, between 2004 and 2012 as a case example. The study employed a qualitative approach, utilizing interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders, including representatives from national and international NGOs, UN agencies, and Sudan’s national humanitarian and research regulatory bodies. The study included 38 participants, comprising 5 interviewees and 33 focus group members. Participants largely agreed on the necessity of ethical oversight for research conducted in humanitarian contexts in Sudan, particularly in Darfur. Through thematic analysis, five key themes emerged to explain why humanitarian studies in Darfur were often not submitted for formal ethical approval: (1) varying definitions of what constitutes research, (2) perceptions that the studies posed minimal risk, (3) the urgency associated with emergency contexts, (4) prior approval of similar studies or research tools, and (5) limited awareness of ethics review procedures. Gaps within institutional humanitarian governance highlight the need for dedicated mechanisms for ethical oversight. The evolving nature of humanitarian crises requires more nuanced approaches to ethics review, underlining the importance of policy measures that align research practices with humanitarian governance and draw lessons from ethics oversight in public health emergencies.
UR  - https://smerpub.com/article/ethics-oversight-in-conflict-research-why-some-studies-in-darfur-were-conducted-without-approval-wqandgok1r8ojot
ER  -