A major part of the HRI research is based on field missions that assess how well donors are applying their commitment to implement the Principles of Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) in the ways they support humanitarian action around the world. Field missions illustrate the specific constraints and challenges humanitarian actors face in providing effective relief in each crisis, as well as shared features which may help to identify where improvements are needed in the global humanitarian system. This year the HRI included missions to 13 different crises around the world. The countries were selected to reflect the diversity of crises in 2008.

The map below shows the crises studied as part of the Humanitarian Response Index 2009