Helen Young
Helen Young has been a Research Director with the Feinstein International Center since 1998 and a Professor with Tufts University for 25 years. Active in humanitarian response and development since 1985, Helen has professional experience with Oxfam GB, UNHCR, the World Bank, FAO, WFP, and UNICEF, mainly in Africa. Since joining Tufts, Young has designed the core master’s course, ‘Public Nutrition in Emergencies’, and developed inter-disciplinary research programs on nutrition, food security, livelihoods, environment and conflict. Her work has been supported by grants from UK FCDO (formerly DFID), Ford Foundation, WFP, UNEP, FAO, Mellon, and others. Over the past decade she has led three multi-year nutrition research projects in partnership with the BRACED (Sudan and Chad), Taadoud (Sudan) and USAID Nawiri (Kenya).
She continues her research on livelihoods and conflict in Sudan, focusing on pastoralism, migration and the war economy and migration in western Sudan. Young served as Co-Editor of the journal Disasters for 25 years, and is the author of more than 85 books, book chapters, practical guides, reports, and peer-reviewed publications.
Young received her bachelor’s degree in food science and nutrition from Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes University), and her Ph.D. from Bournemouth University.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
COURSES TAUGHT
SELECTED JOURNAL AND BOOK PUBLICATIONS
MOST RECENT EXTERNAL PUBLICATIONS
NEWS STORIES
FEINSTEIN PUBLICATIONS
This learning brief presents findings from two scoping studies on acute malnutrition in the Daua Basin in the Mandera Triangle.
This report outlines an anticipatory insurance product designed to support farmers in the drought-prone regions of Malawi and Zambia.
This report presents the final findings from the USAID Nawiri longitudinal study, which investigated the drivers of the persistently high rates of acute malnutrition from September 2021 to September 2023.
This learning brief examines the drivers of malnutrition in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties and their implications for policy and programs.
The time pressure involved in designing and implementing anticipatory action can discourage the localization of decision-making. Learn more from a cartoon-infused summary of insights.
This briefing describes the key elements and issues associated with conflict in pastoralist areas across sub-Saharan Africa.
Ce document d’information décrit les éléments clés et les enjeux associés aux conflits dans les zones pastorales d’Afrique subsaharienne.
This learning brief explores the continuity and changes to livelihoods in select sites in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties, Kenya, and reviews the implications of the continuity and the changes on the drivers of child acute malnutrition.
This learning brief presents preliminary findings on strategic mobility and its nutritional benefits to pastoral and agropastoral communities in select sites in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties, Kenya.
This learning brief presents preliminary findings about the cause (drivers) of persistently high rates of child acute malnutrition in select sites in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties.
This report synthesizes the Nawiri research findings up to the end of September 2021 in relation to the conceptual framework for addressing acute malnutrition in northern Kenya.
This brief explores community perspectives on integrated natural resource management (INRM) and aims to understand the incentives of natural resource users within Taadoud II areas to participate in INRM interventions.
This (Arabic) brief explores community perspectives on integrated natural resource management (INRM) and aims to understand the incentives of natural resource users within Taadoud II areas to participate in INRM interventions.
Multiple calls have been issued for better preparedness, early warning, and, above all, early action to prevent hunger and malnutrition, reduce the scale of food insecurity, improve resilience, and reduce…
This study examines the links between early warning and early action (EW-EA) in East Africa. The report deals specifically with new technology in predictive analytics and machine learning to enhance approaches to EW-EA.
This study examines the links between early warning and early action (EW-EA) in East Africa. The report describes existing regional and national EW-EA systems.
This study examines the links between early warning and early action in East Africa. The report provides the background to the study, a brief conceptual overview, the main findings of the study, and the recommendations to FAO and IGAD.
This report explores the seasonal patterns of acute malnutrition and its key drivers in the Goz Beida Region of Chad.
This report describes findings from a preliminary stakeholder survey on perceptions of malnutrition in northern Kenya.
The nature of humanitarian crises has changed over the past two decades. These changes demand increased anticipatory humanitarian action and improved information to guide that action. The COVID 19 pandemic…
Ce document présente les motifs de la saisonnalité de la malnutrition aiguë et les différences des motifs et les facteurs pour les filles et les garçons dans le zone Goz Beida dans l’est du Chad.
Ce document présente les motifs de la saisonnalité de la malnutrition aiguë et les différences des motifs et les facteurs pour les filles et les garçons dans le zone Goz…
This brief summarizes the seasonal patterns of acute malnutrition and differences in seasonal patterns and possible drivers for boys and girls in the Goz Beida Region of eastern Chad.
This brief summarizes the seasonal patterns of acute malnutrition and its key drivers in the Goz Beida Region of Chad.
In this case report, Ankara resident Allan Cooper Dell explores the neighborhoods of Turkey’s capital city being transformed by Syrian refugees. He notes “It seems that the lives of the…
This field report provides an up to date information about the issues affecting the relationships between different users of natural resources within the changing context of Darfur.
Le présent document d’information examine et met à jour le cadre conceptuel généralement accepté des moteurs de la malnutrition aiguë dans les zones arides africaines, où continue d’exister obstinément un niveau critique de malnutrition aiguë globale.
This brief reviews and updates the generally accepted conceptual framework of drivers of acute malnutrition in Africa’s drylands, where emergency levels of global acute malnutrition stubbornly persist.
This brief reviews farming and pastoralist livelihood systems to highlight their evolving and overlapping tenure regimes. The learning brief series aims to promote awareness and understanding of natural resource use and management in Darfur to support the Taadoud II program and wider programs and policies to effectively build resilient livelihoods.
This brief in Arabic reviews farming and pastoralist livelihood systems to highlight their evolving and overlapping tenure regimes. The learning brief series aims to promote awareness and understanding of natural resource use and management in Darfur to support the Taadoud II program and wider programs and policies to effectively build resilient livelihoods.
This report highlights major new findings on the seasonal patterns of child malnutrition and their links to climate variability, conflict, and livelihood systems in Chad, Sudan, and South Sudan.
This brief highlights major new findings on the seasonal patterns of child malnutrition and their links to climate variability, conflict, and livelihood systems in Chad, Sudan, and South Sudan.
This paper synthesizes findings from four studies on youth migration and resilience in different urban contexts. This work emerges from a collaboration between Save the Children US (Save US) and…
This study explores how Eritrean migrants’ different journeys influence their resilience capabilities and overall well-being in Kampala.
This publication presents a literature review activities in covering topics related to the natural environment and natural resource management in the Darfur region. This desk review serves as a foundation and reference for the NRM field studies and series of briefs, as part of the Taadoud II program, as well as supporting the development of training materials.
أظهرت الدراسات السابقة أنّ التنقل الذي يمارسه الرعاة يوفر مزايا كبيرة في الأراضي الجافة من خلال تمكين قطعان الماشية من الوصول إلى الرعي الأفضل جودة على مدار العام. تواجه أنماط…
Earlier studies have shown that pastoralist mobility offers significant advantages in drylands by enabling herds to access the best-quality grazing over the course of a year. These patterns of mobility face many…
Cette étude est une contribution à la compréhension de la dynamique pastorale-agricole dans le Dar Sila, en relation avec son environnement naturel, social et économique. L’étude était initialement destinée à…
This study is a contribution to the understanding of pastoralism-farming dynamics in Dar Sila, in relation to their natural, social, and economic environment.
The executive summary of a study that contributes to the understanding of pastoralism-farming dynamics in Dar Sila, in relation to their natural, social, and economic environment.
The widespread scale and long-lasting nature of “persistent GAM” means that it must be a policy and programming priority. This brief sheds light on the issue and provides strategies for policy and practice.
The widespread scale and long-lasting nature of “persistent GAM” means that it must be a policy and programming priority. This paper sheds light on the issue and provides strategies for policy and practice.
Livelihood systems in Darfur have experienced massive shocks and extreme changes over the past two decades. Though most communities are making positive progress, their recovery from multiple shocks over the…
This report describes exactly how shocks have affected specific livelihood groups in Darfur, the extent to which people have been able successful at recovering their self-sufficiency, and why.
This report describes the results of an impact assessment on Concern Worldwide’s program in eastern Chad aimed at reducing malnutrition.
This report investigates the practice of pastoralism in Sudan. The authors delineate migration patterns and rationales as well as market strategies, and also offer recommendations for policymakers and service providers interacting with any community that includes pastoralists.
FEINSTEIN RESEARCH PROJECTS
This research explores the ecological significance of the Gizu region of Sudan and recent changes for pastoralist livelihoods.
This project investigates what drives child wasting in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia and identifies effective prevention strategies.
The CORD consortium works to protect health and build resilience in climate-related disasters. We collect and analyze data on the health effects of climate-related disasters, illuminating how vulnerable populations are affected around the world.
This project includes studies on early warning and assessment of crises, specifically looking at real-time monitoring, anticipatory action, political constraints, data collection and analysis, and the validity of indicators.
The Feinstein International Center and FAO have co-produced a Food and Nutrition Bulletin Supplement, based on an adapted conceptual framework for analyzing and addressing acute malnutrition in Africa’s drylands. More than 30 authors have produced 9 research articles and 2 short research communications.
This project aims to improve the lives and livelihoods of populations in pastoral areas of the Sudano-Sahel and Greater Horn of Africa by ensuring that early warning systems and humanitarian action are better attuned and more responsive to the needs and realities of these communities.
USAID Nawiri is an evidence-based development project to address acute malnutrition in northern Kenya. Catholic Relief Services leads a consortium in Isiolo and Marsabit counties, and Feinstein provides research and capacity-building support.
This project interrogates widely-held assumptions about when acute malnutrition is at its highest in dryland countries.
The Academic Alliance for Anticipatory Action (4As) is a global consortium of universities supported by USAID that is building the evidence base on why acting ahead of hazards and risks saves lives.
The Taadoud operational research aims to strengthen the impact of resilience-related actions and interventions.
This study seeks to understand the availability and quality of information, and the external influences on data collection and analysis for the classification of food emergencies.
From 2005 to 2017, we developed a wide-ranging research portfolio on livelihoods systems under stress throughout the Greater Horn of Africa and beyond. This project synthesizes key themes of that research.
This study documents existing practices and gaps, and builds the evidence base, for community-based targeting practices in complex emergencies. Program guidance materials were developed for WFP on the basis of the findings.