Load low-bandwidth site?
Help

Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks 2022

Here you can find all of the GISF sessions from the 2022 Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks (HNPW) event.

Physical and Mental Wellbeing: why an integrated approach to security risk management is important

Speakers: Philipp Burtzlaff (CBM), Lisa Reilly (GISF), Steve Dennis (SMRT Consulting), Dr Liza Jachens (Webster University Geneva)

Watch the session here

The objective of this session was to raise awareness of the direct importance of security risk management (SRM) for ensuring mental as well as physical well-being across the humanitarian sector.

It addressed and identified cross-cutting issues such as the importance of a person-centred approach for equity and inclusivity in SRM, why it is vital to consider the well-being of local partners, and the impact of our digital world on SRM.

The session was targeted at individuals who support, are connected to, or have been involved in security and health related incidents in aid organisations. This could be staff from support functions, such as Health, Safety, Security, HR, staff care as well as supervisors, managers, and others.

A Person-Centred Approach to Security Risk Management: benefits and challenges

Speakers: Philipp Burtzlaff (CBM), Lisa Short (Areté Business Performance), Bridget Hancock (UNHCR)

Watch the session here

There is a growing discussion within humanitarian SRM about the importance of a ‘person-centred approach (PCA)’. Effective SRM must consider the needs of the individual, as an individual, and not based on a ‘generic aid worker’. One of the biggest challenges faced within the humanitarian sector is the turnover of staff. A problem that is exacerbated when staff do not have their basic needs met, which, from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, includes safety and security.

Informed consent ensures that staff understand what threats they face because of their individual characteristics, which leads to more trust in the organisation to look after them.

This session looked at a person-centred approach in SRM in practice. Case studies were presented by both NGOs and the UN to demonstrate some of the benefits and challenges faced by both NGOs and UN in implementing this approach.

Building an Organisation Culture for Effective Security Risk Management: exploring the element of Duty of Care before, during and after incidents

Speakers: Steve Dennis (Steve Dennis Consulting), Christine Williamson (Duty of Care International)

Watch the session here

Building on recent survey results, Christine Williamson and Steve Dennis are studying how aid organisations currently implement support to staff injured or harmed in workplace incidents. The goal of this session was for participants to gain a deeper understanding of key elements of incident support, with results from the survey shared and discussed. Participants went through an example ‘stress test’ where they worked with peers in other organisations to discuss components of support throughout phases of an incident.

The session was targeted at individuals who support, are connected to, or have been involved in workplace incidents in aid organisations, or from support functions, such as Health, Safety, Security, HR, staff care to supervisors, managers, and others.

Fixing the Blind Spot: private security contracting in the humanitarian sector

Watch the session here

Speakers: Panos Navrozidis (GISF), Jamie Williamson (ICoCa)

Private security has rarely been on the agenda of humanitarian conferences, yet the use of private security companies by aid agencies is a growing phenomenon and should be a matter of concern for security and operational managers as well as for humanitarian donors. In the not-so-distant past, international aid agencies used to manage their security much more through dialogue, negotiated access, and trust-building with the communities, local authorities, and armed actors in the areas where they were operating. But UN and NGO clients alike now pay security companies dozens of millions, and it can make up a fair percentage of their overall spending in some of the most dangerous countries. Contracting private security providers (PSPs) may create serious concerns in terms of adhesion to humanitarian principles, leading to risks for the security, reputation, and acceptance of humanitarian organisations. Are humanitarian actors equipped to make informed decisions when contracting PSPs?

In this session, panellists discussed the findings of a recent joint research by the ICoCA and GISF Private Security Contracting in the Humanitarian Sector: time to take responsibility. They also came with recommendations for humanitarian actors, their donors, and the private security sector.

How Technology is Changing Security Risk Management in the Humanitarian Sector

Speakers: Lisa Short (Areté Business Performance), David Clamp (Raleigh International)

Watch the session here

Digitisation and technology are advancing so rapidly that changes that once took centuries now happen in years or months. In the past 18 months, the equivalent of 21 years of change has occurred, which is at a faster pace than most humans can adapt to. While the ‘digital revolution’ remains a strongly positive enabler, allowing the world to communicate, work, and engage better with business communities globally, it does bring new challenges, risks, and opportunities for the humanitarian sector and security risk management.

The threat terrain, complexity of risk, multiplicity of intent and global impact, and the intersection of the sheer volume of information in a digital world has created an ever-changing landscape for the humanitarian sector. The bit by bit report has highlighted three guiding principles that both government and business can benefit from moving forward when advancing a culture of innovation while also developing and deploying safe and trustworthy digital technology. Focus on the mission, demonstrate the value of technology, and, most importantly, don’t forget the people! This requires exploring, understanding, and managing changed actions to new intersectionalities of the technologies that are both fundamental and driving Society 5.0 and beyond, with the critical need to keep pace.

Inclusive Security: balancing aspirations, and constraints

Speakers: J-P Kiehl (ICRC), Catherine Deseure Plumridge (UNDSS)

Watch the session here

The purpose of this session was to highlight the aspirations of inclusive security, constraints to implementation, and suggested approaches. This was to address specific security needs of personnel according to their personal profile, which is often not understood, planned for, or met consistently. Practice has not caught up with strategy or policy in its application at all stages of the employment cycle. This session sought to begin the effort to collectively solve this challenge.

How Does Race and Racism Impact Aid Workers’ Security?

Speakers: Léa Moutard (Independent Consultant), Tara Arthur (GISF), Elodie Leroy-Lemoigne (Plan International), Saara Bouhouche (WCAPS)

Watch the session here

‘Race’, ethnicity, and nationality are key factors influencing the safety of aid workers, operations, and organisations. However, their interconnection is rarely discussed and included in NGOs’ work to implement a person-centred approach to SRM. Many security managers – and aid workers alike – feel uncomfortable even talking about these issues, afraid of saying the ‘wrong thing’.

This session introduced GISF’s new article Toward inclusive security risk management: the impact of race, ethnicity, and nationality on aid workers’ security; which seeks to encourage informed conversations by unpacking the ways in which race, ethnicity, and nationality can affect the security risks aid workers face and the way they are managed. The session included an opportunity to hear discussions from featured stakeholders who have contributed to the articles’ development and created a space for participants to ask questions.

Tackling Misinformation and Disinformation in Humanitarian Response

Speakers: Lisa Short (Areté Business Performance), Sandrine Tiller (MSF)

Watch the session here

In February 2022, the Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN) supported by UN-OCHA published a report by Kristen Pear nans Andrej Verity, Mis & Disinformation Handling the 21st Century Challenge in the Humanitarian Sector. The report arrived at a conclusion that given the pervasiveness of mis and disinformation in several domains, there is reason to believe the humanitarian sector is highly susceptible to becoming a direct or indirect target on a regular basis.

This session explored an understanding of what false, mis and disinformation are and how they have become more pervasive in several discourses, including humanitarianism. It was framed around the key points from the UN-OCHA report and looked at how social engineering is being utilised and what actions the humanitarian sector needs to take to mitigate risk.

Session Resources

Physical and Mental Wellbeing: why an integrated approach to security risk management is important

A Person-Centred Approach to Security Risk Management: benefits and challenges

Building an Organisation Culture for Effective Security Risk Management: exploring the element of Duty of Care before, during, and after incidents

Fixing the Blind Spot: private security contracting in the humanitarian sector

How Technology is Changing Security Risk Management in the Humanitarian Sector

Inclusive Security: balancing aspirations and constraints

How Does Race and Racism Impact Aid Workers’ security?

Tackling Misinformation and Disinformation in Humanitarian Response