Private Security Companies as a Security Risk Management Measure | GISF at HNPW

Summary

One under-explored facet of the rise of Private security companies (PSCs) is their impact on humanitarian action and the delivery of humanitarian aid. This panel will ask and attempt to answer a number of key questions relating to the use of PSCs in humanitarian settings, including: 

• How do PSCs impact the humanitarian situation of populations in crisis zones? 
• With humanitarian organisations now widely contracting private security actors to secure their staff, assets and operations, how does this recent evolution blur the perception of humanitarian organisations as neutral actors but also create risks for the people they assist? 
• How do humanitarian actors negotiate with PSCs for acceptance and access and how should they go about this? 
• How should humanitarian organisations be selecting and vetting their security providers and what are they typically doing this in practice? 
• What are the key risks for humanitarian organisations when contracting security providers and how can these be mitigated? 

Speakers

Jael Amara, Business Development Director, Consumer Options, Nairobi

Gregory Beattie, Global Operations & Plans Manager, IDG Security

Vincent Bernard, Senior Policy Advisor, International Code of Conduct Association, Geneva

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