Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW)

What is HNPW?

The Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks (HNPW) is the annual event of the Leading-Edge Programme (LEP) and the largest event of its kind. Every year, the HNPW brings together more than 2000 experts in crisis preparedness and response from over 350 organisations and countries. Well-established Networks and Partnerships, such as the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group or the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination, but also newly created networks hold their annual meetings and consultations at the HNPW and collaborate in identifying solutions and solving common challenges in crisis preparedness and response. The event offers a space where LEP stakeholders meet annually to take stock, become inspired and build new coalitions.

The HNPW provides a unique forum for humanitarian networks and partnerships to meet and address key humanitarian issues. One of the largest humanitarian events of its kind, it gathers participants from the UN, NGOs, Member States, the private sector, the military, academia and beyond to discuss and solve common challenges in humanitarian affairs.

HNPW & GISF

In 2021, HNPW identified Integrating Security Risk Management Across Humanitarian Action as one of nine priority topics for the first time. Recognising the Global Interagency Security Forum’s (GISF) leading role in supporting collaboration on SRM and improving aid workers’ protection, GISF was selected to lead sessions on this critical topic.

In 2022 and 2023, now under the Area of Common Concern (AOCC), GISF continued to lead on this topic at HNPW.

In 2024, GISF is partnering with UNHCR on Integrating Security Risk Management Across Humanitarian Action as part of the HNPW. We’ll be joined by experts from across the NGO sector to explore the challenges to safe humanitarian action, and how individuals and organisations can work together to create a strong culture of security risk management (SRM) that enables aid workers to do their job safely.

We welcome all humanitarians to join our sessions and discuss how to keep aid workers safe and facilitate access to affected communities. SRM impacts all aspects of humanitarian action, and together, we will improve communication and coordination across the sector and identify how SRM must adapt to face current challenges.

Registration for HNPW is now open! To find out more and register, click here. 

Sessions

Week one | 29 April – 3 May | Virtual

Protect Aid Workers: an innovative mechanism for safeguarding aid workers in high-risk Environments  | Mon 29 April | Virtual | 15:00 – 16:00 CET

Best Practices from the Field in Saving Lives Together | Tue 30 April | Virtual | 15:00- 16:30 CET

Inclusivity in Focus: Implementing a Person-Centered Approach to Security Risk Management | Wed 1 May| Virtual | 15:00- 16:30 CET 

Private Security Companies as a Security Risk Management Measure | Thurs 2 May| Virtual | 11:00- 12:30 CET

 Security in Urban and Densely Populated Environments | Thurs 2 May| Virtual | 16:00- 17:30 CET

Strategic Insights: How Security Analysis Optimises Humanitarian Operations | Fri 3 May| Virtual | 14:00- 15:30 CET

Week two | 6 May – 10 May| In-Person

Optimising Resources and Collaborative Strategies in Field Security for Humanitarian Impact: 2023 Lessons Learned  | Mon 6 May | In-Person | 09:00- 10:30 CET

Adaptive Security Planning and Security Risk Management (SRM): Are We Prepared for the Unpredictable?  | Mon 6 May | In-Person | 14:00- 15:30 CET

Evacuation & Relocation of Humanitarian Personnel: What are the Challenges and Best Practices as Measures to Avoid Risk?  | Mon 6 May | In-Person | 16:00- 17:30 CET

Thriving in Turmoil: How Do We Navigate Dilemmas in High-Risk Environments?  | Tue 7 May | In-Person | 11:00- 12:30 CET

Networking Event: Challenges and Opportunities for Security, Civil-Military and Access Coordination and Collaboration  | Tue 7 May | In-Person | 16:00- 17:30 CET

Saving Lives Together (Closed Session) | Wed 8 May | In-Person | 09:00- 10:30 CET

State of Practice: The Evolution of Security Risk Management in the Humanitarian Space – GPR8 Launch | Wed 8 May | In-Person | 14:00- 15:30 CET

Are neutrality, localisation and acceptance still inextricably linked in security? | Thurs 9 May | In-Person | 14:00- 15:30 CET

To find out more about each individual session, please click the titles above, or check out our events page.

Steps to register for a session:

1. Click the link above and follow instructions to register

Or

1. Log in (or create an account) on the HNPW homepage (if the link doesn’t work, try typing hnpw.org directly into your browser);
2. Select ‘Event Programme‘ on the navigation toolbar, where you can view the full HNPW event programme;
3. To find any GISF event, you need to find ‘Priority Topics‘ in the filter selection on the left-hand side of the screen;
4. Under ‘Priority Topics’ please select ‘Humanitarian Security’– this will filter to show you any registered GISF event;
5. To register your attendance for any event, please select ‘register‘ just to the left-hand of the session title;
6. You will have the option to register, either face to face or virtually depending on the session; bookmark the event; or cancel your registration;
7. When you select register, the ‘register’ button will change to ‘registered‘, and you will receive a confirmation email from ‘no-reply@un.org’. 

If you have any questions on registration, please reach out to info@gisf.ngo.

Exhibition Stand

GISF have an in-person exhibition stand at HNPW this year, during the organised face-to-face at the International Conference Centre (CICG) in Geneva from the 6-10 May. If you are in Geneva, and attending HNPW, please come and say hello to the team!

If you have any questions about GISF’s sessions, registration or HNPW, please reach out to Jon (jon@gisf.ngo).