Silvia Hidalgo is one of the founders of DARA (Development Assistant Research Associates), an organisation focused on the evaluation and improvement of policy and practice in the area of humanitarian action and development.

She was Head of the ECHO (European Commission Humanitarian Office) sub-office in Sarajevo (1996-1998) and regional Coordinator for the Spanish Red Cross in Central America in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch. Prior to that, she was Desk-officer for Bosnia Herzegovina at ECHO in Brussels (1993-1995).

She has also worked as a Consultant in vulnerability surveys, studies on the domestic violence, rural development, participatory management, disaster prevention and mitigation, and new tools in development assistance.

She is member of the European Evaluation Society and the Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP).

Areas of expertise: humanitarian action; problems related to migration; and return evaluation of development aid.