Conducting research in conflict zones is overwhelming. Teams are under pressure, operating in insecure environments, often tired, hungry, or anxious. They need to uphold many critical ethical standards while navigating new tech and complex processes with urgent timelines and tight budgets.
We designed Fatima to meet these conditions
We created Fatima in response to this reality. It is a tool that supports people to carry out ethical, secure, and meaningful research under extreme conditions.
Its purpose is simple: help people listen well, act responsibly, and protect those whose stories are being shared.
The challenges are complex and high risk
Research in conflict zones is not like research elsewhere. Teams face a combination of ethical complexity and operational constraints:
- Connectivity is unreliable or absent
- Interview environments are informal, unpredictable, and often public
- Consent is not a tick-box exercise, but a process that must be sustained
- Security risks are high for both participants and researchers
- Local teams may be under-resourced and under-supported
Too often, tools used for this work were not built for it. They assume strong internet, high literacy, or well-controlled interview settings. They place the burden of ethical decision-making entirely on individuals, with little guidance at critical moments.
How Fatima overcomes these challenges
Fatima was built to meet these challenges directly. Its design reflects the needs of people working in difficult settings, often under pressure, and often with limited support.
- A tool that works offline, with low-cost devices
Fatima functions fully offline. Researchers can collect data in rural areas, refugee camps, or displacement settings without needing a connection. - A calm, clear user experience
The interface is clean and intentionally quiet. It removes distraction and helps researchers focus. This is especially important when teams are tired, hungry, or under stress. - Ethical guidance built into every step
Fatima embeds small prompts, reminders, and advice throughout the process. Supporting researchers to ensure participants are as safe as possible, comfortable and fully in control from data collection to data destruction. - Consent that is active, not passive
Informed consent is broken into small bite sized pieces, and comprehension is confirmed by multiple choice questions. Participants are reminded of their rights throughout the session, and consent is regained at the end. - Data that is protected from the outset
Once a session is completed, data is encrypted on the device until it's synced and then immediately deleted. It cannot be accessed without authorisation. This protects participants and ensures researchers are not carrying sensitive information on vulnerable devices. - Designed to support local capacity
Fatima can be used by people with minimal prior experience in research. With basic training, local teams can collect high-quality, ethically sound data. This enables organisations to invest in local knowledge and leadership without compromising on research standards. - Flexible for in-person or remote data collection
Fatima supports both in-person interviews and remote data collection. In conflict settings where movement is restricted or direct contact may increase risk, remote interviewing allows research to continue safely. Fatima ensures that consent, privacy, and clarity are maintained regardless of how the interview is conducted - offering flexibility without compromising ethics.
Field-tested: Fatima in Palestine
Fatima has been used in a number of crisis affected settings including Northern Nigeria, Sudan, Ukraine and was recently used by the British Council for an evaluation of English teaching and learning in Palestine.
The context required care. The research involved speaking with people in a politically sensitive environment, across diverse locations, and under tight timelines.
This kind of research is not easy. But with Fatima, it can be done in a way that centres participation, ensures safety, and upholds dignity.
If your organisation is conducting research in crisis affected settings, we’d love to talk.
We are so pleased that we used the Fatima tool to support our research in Palestine. Fatima facilitated a genuinely participatory approach, where those closest to the context could be upskilled to carry out interviews and gather data using the tool
