DARA aims to enhance global efforts to reduce human suffering and inequity and encourage prevention. Our focus is on the improvement of humanitarian action, the promotion of international stability and development, and the reduction of disaster risk.

DARA bases its work on three fundamental principles:

• Affected populations should be placed at the centre of efforts to improve their own situation
• All actions should be driven by needs and seek a comprehensive response
• DARA's efforts should add value and the direct consequences of its work should be results-oriented

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Our approach
DARA starts from the principle that all evaluations should add value, have a clear impact and promote change. We use the lessons learnt from our evaluations to identify gaps in the system that require further action, and develop appropriate, self-initiated projects to answer this need. For example, to improve humanitarian action and address the issue of donor accountability, DARA has developed the Humanitarian Response Index, and to improve disaster prevention and adaptation we have developed the Disaster Risk Reduction Initiative.