Real ethics has dirty feet – data collector perspectives on risk exposure during data collection in conflict-affected Eastern DRC

Even when fully implementing international ethical guidelines, some risks in humanitarian crisis settings cannot be entirely foreseen or avoided. Local data supervisors and data collectors recognize these risks and take partial ownership in managing them as active agents and contributors to the research. In this sense, real ethics has dirty feet: Data collection in such settings cannot be entirely risk-free; but it still might be important to do the research. The decision to accept such risks however should not solely be made by external researchers who follow international ethical guidelines. It should also be informed by the local data collectors and supervisors who understand the risks within context and culture; and include their judgment on whether the research effort is worth doing.