What goes on at a GISF Autumn Forum?

Every year, GISF hosts its Autumn Forums in Europe and the Americas for our members and associates – find out what happens at these exciting events in our latest blog.

More than just armoured cars

When I joined GISF earlier this year as Admin & Projects Officer, my view of ‘security risk management’ (SRM) was much like the average layperson’s. The term conjured up images of bulletproof vehicles, armed guards and security cameras. Over the months that followed, I began to realise that this is only a very small slice of the SRM pie. Maybe even only a crumb!

One of the most pivotal experiences in expanding my understanding of SRM was GISF’s Autumn Forum. Every year, GISF hosts two Autumn Forums – one in Europe and one in the Americas. These events are held exclusively for our members and associates. They provide a private space where security staff from NGOs can network and exchange knowledge with each other. Over the course of one or two days, attendees also have opportunities to hear from expert speakers and engage in workshops on key SRM issues.

I was lucky enough to attend GISF’s Autumn Forum in Edinburgh. The event attracted over 60 of our members and associates. (During the same week, our US team hosted an Autumn Forum in Washington, D.C. for our members and associates across the Americas.)

Before the Forum, I absorbed countless articles, research papers, webinars and workshops on SRM. I felt I was getting to grips with the full breadth of the topic of NGO security. Well, I was wrong – and in the best possible way…

The Forum: Day One

This year’s Autumn Forums covered an incredible range of subjects. Attending the Forum in Edinburgh helped me understand just how multi-faceted SRM is. And meeting so many NGO security staff showed me just how many different ‘hats’ SRM professionals wear.

Day one in Edinburgh started with a member case study. I am told that this session is often the most popular at GISF’s Autumn Forums. It involves a representative from a member organisation recounting a specific obstacle or challenge they have recently faced. By sharing their experiences, members are able to learn from each other. This is critical, as we know one NGO will often have the answer to a question or challenge another NGO faces – we just have to find a way to connect them. And the member case studies at GISF’s Autumn Forums seem to be one good way to do that. The contents of the member case studies are strictly private. So, if you want to find out more, you will have to become a member or associate and attend our next Forum!

After lunch, we had a session on navigating principles. Four experienced humanitarians discussed the challenges that arise when principles (be they humanitarian or otherwise) are at odds with what is practicable in complex contexts. After a panel discussion, there were questions from the floor. These prompted conversations on a range of subjects, including the humanitarian principle of neutrality. I noted down a few quotes, which I found thought-provoking:

• “Neutrality it is not a moral principle but an operational posture.”
• “Neutrality is a lip service word.”
• “Neutrality is not the opposite of solidarity.”

You may agree or disagree with these statements. But that’s the great benefit of the Autumn Forums – they provide a space for security staff to debate these contentious topics, which often have a major impact on SRM strategies.

We finished the first day with a presentation on the Humanitarian Outcomes guide No Easy Choice: a humanitarian’s guide to ethical, principled decision making. The speakers walked us through the tool they’ve developed as part of the guide. This tool helps to steer humanitarians through the complicated and often difficult process of discussing, and eventually making decisions related to, ethical dilemmas. It is worth reading the full publication if you want to learn more. It’s available in English, Spanish, Arabic, French, Burmese, Pashto and Dari. There is also a short film summarising the key points.

The Forum: Day Two

Day two began with a showcase of the travel risk management system developed by a GISF member. The tool was built to ensure the efficient, consistent, and – most of all – safe and secure management of travel to contexts with varying degrees of risk. A key focus when developing the tool was its compliance with international standards regarding the duty of care organisations have to their staff.

The second session comprised three different approaches to measuring access and acceptance. The panellists offered fascinating insights into their varied approaches to tracking these risk management strategies, building on some of the findings of GISF’s research on the subject.

After a break for coffee, we heard from a panel of security professionals who practice SRM in the human rights and advocacy space. They delved into the unique security challenges faced by human rights organisations. This included how their organisations think differently about risk and the internal obstacles that may arise due to organisational culture. For me, this was a particularly fascinating session. It highlighted how human rights organisations often approach risk in a fundamentally different way. With their focus on advocacy, human rights organisations operate (as one panellist put it) more like media organisations a lot of the time. Their statements and press releases can have a huge impact on their access to crisis locations. There can also be a clash between their mission and keeping staff safe – especially when working to expose war crimes or human rights abuses.

The final session was a deep-dive into engaging senior leadership in SRM. In this collaborative discussion, member representatives shared their experiences with involving senior leaders in security. This session facilitated discussions on a wide range of topics. It touched on the various skills and strategies required to advocate successfully for a security culture. This session tied quite nicely with GISF’s latest guide, which makes a case for the importance of involving senior staff in security strategies and policies. The outcomes of this session will also inform a new research product from GISF – coming in 2025!

Reflections on a diverse agenda

Overall, The Autumn Forum in Edinburgh covered a huge range of topics. It sparked discussions on politics (both organisational and global), philosophy, funding, human rights, and, of course, risks of all shapes and sizes. Sessions ranged from the purely practical to the theoretical, from passionate debate to fruitful collaboration. And they were filled with both lively discussion and intense quiet when members shared their stories.

Our Autumn Forum in Washington, D.C. covered even more topics, including:

• The humanitarian principle of neutrality
• Negotiation and humanitarian access
• Individual resilience.

My time in Edinburgh, filled with such variety and contrast, defied my expectations of what a GISF Forum would be. I left feeling energised and excited for next year’s Forums, where I look forward to meeting even more of our members and associates!

Interested in attending GISF’s next Autumn Forums? Find out how you can become a member or associate here. 

Already a member or associate? Log into your account to access the notes and presentations from our 2024 Autumn Forums in Edinburgh and Washington, D.C.

About the author

Ariel Voss is GISF’s Admin & Projects Officer, based in London. In her role, Ariel is responsible for providing efficient administrative support to enable the smooth functioning of the GISF Secretariat. Ariel holds a BSc in Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method from the London School of Economics, where she was awarded the John Worrall Prize.

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