DRG

Evidence.
Leadership.
Lasting Change.

Knowledge Hub

Research that
shapes policy.

Rigorous, conflict-sensitive research and advisory for decision-makers in fragile contexts.

Our services

Voices from
the Global South.

Preparing the next generation of youth and women leaders.

About us

Who We Are

We combine rigorous research, strategic advisory and trusted dialogue to help leaders make informed decisions in conflict-affected, fragile and complex contexts. Grounded in ethical research, responsible data governance and respect for privacy, we translate evidence into policy, programmes and investment strategies that drive meaningful, coordinated action.

We are committed to decolonising development by centring the knowledge, agency and leadership of people and communities in the Global South. Alongside informing policy and practice, we invest in the future - strengthening institutions, advancing equitable knowledge partnerships and preparing the next generation of youth and women leaders to shape more just, resilient and inclusive societies.

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DRG Strategic Areas

  • Research & Evidence, Generating Knowledge

    High-quality research, evaluation, and monitoring (MEL) that informs policy and programs. Conflict-sensitive, politically aware analysis ensures evidence drives action from baseline studies to program impact assessments.

  • Generating Learning, Assessments, and Evaluation

    Context-driven insights and advisory services shaping policy, legal frameworks, migration processes, and institutional decision-making. Supports governments, NGOs, and foundations to make informed, actionable, and sustainable changes.

  • Leadership & Agency, Stregthening local capacity and ownership

    Tailored Executive Education programs, lectures, keynotes, and workshops led by our founder Dr Orzala Nemat, for universities, policy forums, and civil society. Delivers applied learning across Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

  • Bridging the Knowledge, Academia, Policy & Practice

    Professional-level convenings, partnerships, and knowledge exchange linking research, policy, and practice. Strengthens institutional capacity and develops leadership skills for youth and women in the Global South.

Latest Publications

Intersecting Crises, Unseen Strength: Persons with Disabilities Shaping Their Future in Afghanistan

Guided by the CRPD and ICESCR, this study examines how the situation of persons with disabilities in Afghanistan has evolved since August 2021, drawing on interviews across all 34 provinces to document barriers to basic services, social inclusion and equal opportunities, coping strategies, and the impacts of conflict, poverty and health-system failures, while offering practical, evidence-based recommendations developed with persons with disabilities for policymakers, UN agencies, NGOs and service providers.

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Discipline and Domination: The Taliban’s Rule Over Women as Statecraft

How restrictions on women have become a central instrument of governance, and what this means for engagement with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities.

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Afghanistan’s Freezing Winter: Humanitarian Crisis and the Taliban’s Ban on Women Aid Workers

The ban on women aid workers comes at the worst possible time: the harshest months of the year, when needs peak and access is hardest.

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Making Feminist (Non) Sense of War and Gender in Afghanistan

Reflects on how gender narratives have been constructed amid decades of war in Afghanistan, critiquing how international interventions have often instrumentalised women’s rights without transforming structural inequalities.

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Partners

We work alongside universities, research institutes, civil society and international organisations who share our commitment to evidence-led change.