Humanitarian aid and research during acute and protracted crises require effective community engagement; however, at present, there is not an understanding of exactly what community engagement should entail nor are there any context-dependent, evidence-based standards of practice for effective community engagement. 

We are currently building an international consortium of academics, practitioners, stakeholders, and community representatives in order to assess and design standards of practice for effective community engagement. 

We hope that the outcome will be a new mode of community engagement that enables community understanding and involvement in research and aid, more effective delivery of humanitarian aid, and the transition of aid into long-term sustainable development.