HPG working paper: Narratives and the Ukraine response 

Data Collection

Desk Review● Extensive analysis of published and grey literature, including media coverage, humanitarian reports, and policy documents.● Focused on narratives emerging in each country, updated through May 2024.
● Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)● Conducted 81 interviews across Ukraine, Poland, and the UK.● Respondents: staff from international and local humanitarian organizations, donors, journalists, academics, and government officials.● Mix of in-person and remote interviews.
SenseMaker Survey● Conducted between December 2023 - March 2024.● Collected 611 responses from affected individuals, local responders, and humanitarian staff.● Targeted participants in Ukraine (35%), Poland (29%), and the UK (36%).● Primarily Ukrainian-speaking respondents (two-thirds), with 82% identifying as women.● Survey gathered perspectives on solidarity, vulnerability, and fairness in humanitarian assistance.
Validation Workshops● Held in Kyiv, Warsaw, and London in May-June 2024.● Included representatives from civil society, humanitarian organizations, media, and government.● Used to review and validate findings and gather updates on narrative shifts since initial data collection.

Analysis Methods

Narrative Analysis Framework● Applied narrative policy analysis to identify key storylines and frames shaping policy and humanitarian response.● Examined how different actors (governments, civil society, media, donors) constructed and deployed narratives.● Focused on how these narratives influenced funding, policy decisions, public opinion, and humanitarian operations.
Thematic Coding and Triangulation● KIIs and SenseMaker survey data coded for emerging themes using qualitative analysis software.● Cross-checked findings with desk review data and validation workshop insights.● Comparative analysis across countries and actor types to assess how narratives varied or aligned.
Quantitative Data Integration● Survey responses used to generate descriptive statistics on perceptions of vulnerability, resilience, and solidarity.● Comparative analysis between displaced persons, humanitarian staff, and host community respondents.

Sampling

Geographic Scope: Ukraine (safe and frontline areas), Poland (major cities and border regions), and the UK (across regions receiving Ukrainian refugees).Respondent Types:● Displaced Ukrainians.● Returnees.● Refugee hosts.● People receiving or providing humanitarian assistance.● Those living near frontlines or in formerly occupied areas.Demographics: 82% women, 15% men.Mix of displaced persons, aid recipients, local responders, and hosts.

Study Limitations

● Gender Bias: Low participation from Ukrainian men due to conscription.● Geographic Gaps: No data from Russian-occupied territories.● Sampling Approach: Convenience sampling means findings are indicative, not representative.● Research Fatigue: Particularly among Ukrainians in Poland, limiting direct refugee perspectives there.● Institutional Gaps: Low interview response rates from UN agencies and senior government officials.