This global survey of humanitarian workers will be used to help understand the effectiveness of organisational safety provision in the sector. Complete this short survey and to pass it on to colleagues to do the same by 10 February.
GISF is seeking information from NGOs on the technology they use to share security-related information with staff, particularly those that use online systems. This input will be used to inform an article summarising these technologies to be published in the GISF Communications Technology Hub. If your organisation is willing to share their experiences, please get in contact with Adelicia (eisf-research@eisf.helpful.ws).
In November, GISF attended a two-part expert roundtable at Chatham House that discussed the challenges NGOs face when working with non-state armed groups, in particular given the impact of counter-terrorism legislation. This is a brief summary of the key points raised and some of the implications counter-terrorism legislation has on the security risk management of NGOs.
GISF is looking for research proposals for its research project on 'Managing the Security of Staff with Diverse Profiles in High-risk Contexts'.
This post discusses Larissa Fast’s book ‘Aid in Danger’ and how some of the ideas in the book can be applied to humanitarian security risk management. In her blog, Christina Wille, primarily argues that the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence are not a magic shield capable of protecting aid workers because humanitarian agencies are actors within and not separate from the contexts in which they work. Wille also argues that security incidents are not only the result of external factors affecting humanitarian agencies but that factors resulting from internal agency policy and staff behaviour also impact aid worker security. Good security risk management means taking into consideration internal factors as well as external ones.
If you are attending the Forum and would like a hard copy of a specific GISF guide or paper, please let Adelicia know at eisf-research@eisf.helpful.ws.
The GISF is pleased to share the preliminary agenda for the next GISF Forum taking place in September, 2016.
GISF, InterHealth Worldwide and International Location Safety have an exhibition stand at WHS, focused on initiatives to improve aid worker security and wellbeing. If you are going to the Summit we would love to see you there - we are at Stand 37 in B5 of the Lutfi Kirdar International Convention & Exhibition Centre. Don't forget to tweet to us via @GISF1 using #AidSecurity and #protectaidworkers.
In the past decade, many areas of Pakistan have endured a high level of insecurity. There are no set patterns to the violence, which has varied from attacks on law enforcement agencies and schools to sectarian violence and the targeting of medical professionals engaged in polio vaccination programmes. Regardless of the types and motives of these attacks, the civilian population have paid a high price. Agence France Presse state that by 2014, nearly 7,000 people had been killed in militant attacks in Pakistan since the emergence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) in 2007.
The next GISF Forum will take place in Eschborn, near Frankfurt, on the 22nd and 23rd September 2016. Please let Ruth know (eisf-info@eisf.helpful.ws) if you would like to attend.