Supporting research and good practice

The Estelle Trust is currently involved in two research and development initiatives that contribute to effective policies in the restoration of governance in regions ravaged by war and civil conflict: a continuing funding contribution to the work of the Governance and Rights Unit at the International Rescue Society (IRC) and the sponsorship of a research fellowship in Post-Conflict Studies in the Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford.

IRC is a major international agency that serves refugees and communities in areas of violent conflict. It works in the world's most troubled regions such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the refugee areas around Iraq. The Governance and Rights Unit is based in the IRC's UK headquarters. It researches and delivers programmes for the restoration of inter-community confidence and good government in post-conflict regions. It focuses on the best methods of empowering people to solve their own problems.

The Estelle Trust has made an annual contribution to the costs of Governance and Rights Unit and its predecessor the Post Conflict Development Initiative since 2005.