In a world where crises are becoming more complex and funding is becoming scarcer, intuition is not enough. To act quickly and appropriately, we need to understand. This is the challenge taken up by RC3 (Red Cross Red Crescent Research Consortium): a unique consortium that connects the power of science with the reality on the ground within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Networking research to respond better to crises
While research has long been part of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s DNA, a change of scale took place seven years ago. Faced with the growing number of research projects and initiatives within the Movement, the idea of a formal network gradually emerged. This led to the official creation of the Movement’s Research Consortium, better known as RC3, in 2019.
Today, the network brings together 26 institutional members—including the French Red Cross Foundation—committed to producing and disseminating knowledge on humanitarian issues. They all share the same conviction: research is not an abstract exercise, but the indispensable driving force behind clear-headed humanitarian action, capable of deciphering crises in order to respond to them more effectively.
Far from limiting itself to a coordinating role, RC3 has gradually established itself as a forum for the exchange of ideas. It brings together those who analyze social, political, and environmental dynamics with those who design and deploy aid in the field. Underlying this is a constant objective: to strengthen the accuracy and impact of humanitarian interventions.
A living network, at the crossroads of knowledge and action
Contrary to the sometimes static image of academic research, RC3 champions a deeply dynamic and collaborative approach. The network functions as a living ecosystem, made up of encounters, exchanges, and the sharing of experiences.
These dynamics take shape during key events, starting with the Nuit blanche de la Recherche (Research All-Nighter). Designed as a 24-hour global scientific hackathon, this initiative brings together researchers, operational staff, and decision-makers to address concrete issues encountered by the Movement. Research results are discussed in light of realities in the field, in a direct dialogue between knowledge production and humanitarian action.
Throughout the year, this dynamic continues through the Annual Research Workshops and numerous online meetings. These are spaces where experiences are shared, practices are questioned, and lasting collaborations are born. For many members, these exchanges provide valuable support in the face of increasingly complex humanitarian challenges.
Making research understandable, accessible, and useful
To be fully useful, research must be accessible. This is one of the initial findings of RC3: knowledge exists, but it is often scattered, not very visible, or difficult for operational teams to mobilize.
To meet this challenge, the Consortium has undertaken a major effort to promote the research produced within the Movement. In particular, it has created a thematic database of its members’ work, which is available through an online tool: the RCRC Research Map. This interactive map provides access, in just a few clicks, to hundreds of publications that can shed light on concrete issues encountered in the field.
In the same spirit, RC3 has published its first Reference Guide devoted to volunteering. This 90-page document brings together more than 150 research papers, accompanied by accessible summaries and direct links to bibliographic resources. It is a way of linking scientific output with operational needs, without oversimplifying.
Sustainably strengthening research capacities
Beyond the dissemination of knowledge, RC3 has a more structural ambition: to sustainably strengthen the research capacities of National Societies. The aim is to contribute to the emergence of a shared scientific culture that can take root over time and support humanitarian action in the long term.
With this in mind, the Consortium has developed several practical tools, including a guide to best practices for mobilizing volunteers to collect data for research purposes. At the same time, it is conducting extensive work to document and analyze research practices within the Movement. This epistemological research project is a key step in better supporting National Societies in developing their own capacities.
Research as a compass in times of crisis
The efforts of RC3 are particularly important today because the humanitarian aid sector is going through a period of profound turbulence. The recent freeze on US aid, combined with the overall decline in international funding, presents humanitarian actors with a new challenge: doing more with less.
In this constrained context, research becomes a strategic tool. It enables us to understand dynamics, anticipate bottlenecks, and identify levers for sustainable innovation. By promoting collective reflection based on solid data, RC3 does more than just produce knowledge. It provides National Societies with benchmarks for adapting, strengthening their resilience, and continuing to protect affected populations, even when resources are scarce.
Top photo: RC3 members gathered in Istanbul for the 2025 global workshop ©French Red Cross Foundation
