At What Cost? The true cost and value of security risk management (Dublin 2025)
On 25-27 February 2025, GISF hosted its inaugural Global Security Risk and Policy Conference at the Hilton (Charlemont Place) in Dublin. The event was themed around funding and resourcing for security risk management.
Thank you for joining the Global Interagency Security Forum’s (GISF) first Global Security Risk and Policy Conference at the Hilton (Charlemont Place) Dublin.
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Who attended?
This event was free for GISF member and associate organisations, as well as other approved attendees.
- You are an NGO security manager
- You oversee an NGO’s security function
- You work to ensure NGOs have the resources to reach hard-to-access communities
- You work alongside and collaborate with NGOs on security and access
- You provide funding to NGOs, and want to maximise their impact.
- GISF members and associates
- United Nations agencies
- International agencies
- Donors
- Network/coordination platforms
- Universities and research institutions
- Think tanks and policy institutes.
Conference theme
At What Cost? The true cost and value of security risk management
GISF’s inaugural Global Security Risk and Policy Conference took place at the Hilton Hotel (Charlemont Place) in Dublin. The event was themed around resourcing and funding security risk management. Through a series of talks and panel discussions we delved into this theme, offering strategies for how to maximise available resources and make a stronger case for security risk management funding.
Ensuring secure and sustainable access to people in need is both costly and invaluable. Delivering a comprehensive approach to NGO security risk management – from staff safety to training and access – requires significant time and financial resources. In the face of increasing insecurity, higher costs, and shrinking budgets, resourcing security for NGOs is a considerable challenge. To address this, it’s crucial not only to allocate resources effectively but also to clearly demonstrate the value of investing in security risk management.
GISF’s Conference brought together key NGO professionals to share information, learnings, and strategies on maximising available resources while making a compelling case for the importance of security risk management.
Recognising the importance of working with partners, select representatives from UN agencies, donor organisations, coordination bodies, and other key stakeholders also participated, contributing to solutions.
In addition to identifying short-term opportunities, the event aimed to reach common positions to evolve the system. This will ensure resources are used effectively, reach the right parts of organisations and the right delivery partners, and adapt to ever-changing risks. By understanding the true cost and value of security risk management, we can maximise the impact of available financial resources and better support communities in need.
Agenda
Below is the final Conference agenda. We were pleased to welcome Senator Tom Clonanas our keynote speaker. Senator Clonan is a former Irish peacekeeper and vocal advocate of the importance of international humanitarian law and human rights for all.
The Conference began on the afternoon of 26 February. Abstracts for the Conference sessions on 26 February can be found below.
Aid Under Fire: Reflections on the deadliest year for aid workers
The past year marked a devastating milestone for the humanitarian community. Record levels of targeted violence and the continued erosion of the protective status of aid workers have dominated humanitarian operations across the globe. This opening session reflects on the human toll of these attacks. Panellists explore the challenges faced by aid workers providing much needed assistance in increasingly hostile environments, and the factors driving this alarming trend.
The Cost of Security: The state of funding and resourcing for security risk management
Effective security risk management is vital for organisations operating in high-risk environments, yet funding and resources for this critical function often fall short. Amid rising humanitarian needs, increasing insecurity and an unprecedented funding gap, organisations face hard choices in ensuring staff can safely access affected communities. This session examines the realities of security resourcing in the sector, highlighting critical gaps and challenges, and the implications for the cost and value of security risk management.
Security Funding: Donor policies and practice
Institutional donors play a critical role in ensuring the safety and security of aid workers. But their policies and funding practices often present challenges for implementing organisations. Scaling reforms across institutional government donors and diverse operational contexts has proven challenging, leaving gaps in how security risk management is prioritised and funded. Although progress has been made, it remains isolated. This session introduces GISF’s review of donor policies and explores recommendations to enhance the availability and effectiveness of resources for security.
On Day Two of the Conference (27 February) we had a choice of three breakout groups. You can read the abstracts for the breakout sessions below.
Resourcing Security: Exploring alternative models and innovative solutions
Faced with escalating security risks and significant funding constraints, traditional approaches to resourcing security are often inadequate. To build and sustain security capacity, organisations must leverage alternative funding sources and strategies. From public-private partnerships to adaptive funding mechanisms, diversifying funding streams has become essential. This session examines alternative models for resourcing security risk management, highlighting opportunities for diversification and scaling of innovative solutions while addressing the challenges posed in adopting such approaches.
Consolidating Security Resources: Working in consortia and shared services
In an era of growing insecurity and shrinking budgets, organisations are increasingly turning to collaborative strategies to enhance safety and security. By sharing expertise, infrastructure, and funding, organisations can strengthen operational security while minimising duplication and costs. This session highlights lessons learned from consortia and shared security service models, exploring their benefits, challenges, and practical considerations for establishing and sustaining these partnerships.
Security Resourcing for Local NGOs: Building equitable partnerships in risk
Local NGOs and frontline workers form the backbone of humanitarian efforts. Rooted in their communities, they are often forced to navigate significant risks with minimal security resources. Despite their vital role, they face systemic barriers in accessing the funding, training, and infrastructure required to safeguard their staff and operations. This session examines the power imbalances in security resource allocation and explores practical solutions that foster equitable partnerships, ensuring fair access to security resources for local NGOs and frontline workers.
An exciting line-up of speakers and panellists joined us for the Conference sessions, as detailed below.
Alsanosi Adam (External Communications Coordinator, Localisation Coordination Council, Sudan Emergency Response Rooms)
Elise Baudot (Head of Humanitarian Financing, International Council of Voluntary Agencies)
Ellen Brooks (Director, International Rescue Committee – Innovative Finance)
Colm Byrne (Gender and Humanitarian Advocacy Advisor, Trócaire)
Senator Tom Clonan (Independent Trinity Senator)
Dr Jane Cocking OBE (GISF Board of Directors)
Chad Cole (Director of Global Safety and Security, Plan International)
Sebastian Drutschmann (Global Security Advisor, Evangelisches Werk für Diakonie und Entwicklung e.V.)
Peter M. Egwudah (Chair – Adamawa NGO Network, Nigeria)
Neil Elliot (Global Head of Security, Oxfam International)
Nimo Hassan (Director of the Somali NGO Consortium)
Birke Herzbruch (Head of Portfolio – Fragile & Conflict Affected States, Trócaire)
David Kaatrud (Security Director, World Food Programme)
Rosaleen Martin (Institutional Funding Support Unit Manager, Concern Worldwide)
Nicole McHugh (Humanitarian Director, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland)
Jane-Ann McKenna (Chief Executive Officer, Dóchas)
Simon Meldrum (Innovative Finance, Private Sector & Innovation Unit, IFRC & Executive Director, Humanitarian Finance Forum)
Jon Novakovic (Executive Director, GISF)
Peter Ott (Health, Safety and Security Advisor, Caritas Forum – Ukraine, Caritas International)
Mike Pearson (Research Fellow; Humanitarian Funding, Humanitarian Policy Group, ODI Global)
Sheetal Rana (Global Director – Partnership and Localisation, Trócaire)
Tarini Ross (Head of Humanitarian Programmes, Humanitarian Aid International)
Sudhanshu S. Singh (Founder and CEO, Humanitarian Aid International) – Status of Frontline Workers Report
Abby Stoddard (Partner, Humanitarian Outcomes)
Katrine Thomsen (Security Policy Officer, DG ECHO)
Alyssa Thurston (Policy and Advocacy Adviser, GISF)
Pascal Valette (Security Manager, Gret/AVSF)
Marieke van Weerden (Catholic Relief Services)
Paul Westbury (Head Global Safety & Access Department, GOAL)
Session descriptions are also available for the pre-Conference side meetings, held on 25 February.
Facilitator: Insecurity Insight
Open to NGOs, UN Agencies and Government Donors
Healthcare provision has several unique characteristics that shape its specific exposure to security risks, particularly in areas affected by conflict and crisis.
With these challenges in sight, Insecurity Insight has published a novel handbook on security risk management tailored specifically for the health sector. The Handbook on Risk Management of Violence against Healthcare in Situations of Insecurity and Conflict offers a comprehensive and practical approach to understanding, assessing, and managing the security risks faced by health services in conflict and insecure environments.
The session aims to provide pragmatic insights, based on case studies and group work, into the challenges to manage security and to incorporate comprehensive security risk management into humanitarian health responses. It also enhances knowledge of participants on minimal standards, ethical constraints and best practices in security risk management for health services. Click here for the full description of this event.
Facilitator: Trócaire
Open to NGOs, UN Agencies and Government Donors
Aimed at agencies dedicated to enhancing partner security, this meeting focuses on the critical concept of equitable risk. Trócaire shared results and learnings from their current pilot in partnership capacity strengthening. Members of the ECHO-funded PARTAGE consortium also provided an update on their NNGO-led SRM capacity building initiative in the Sahel. This was followed by an open discussion for participants to share strategies to enhance security risk management for partners and identify possibly future collaborations and alignment.
GISF also hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the morning of 26 February.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of GISF is the opportunity for members to hear from, and question, the Board of Directors on GISF’s performance and strategy.
In addition to updates on GISF’s activities and budget, the GISF 2025-2030 Strategy was presented for endorsement by the membership.
Only member organisations up-to-date with their membership payments are permitted to vote.
Resources
Conference slides
The slideshow presentations from both days of the Conference are now available:
You can also access resources for specific sessions below.
Security Risk Management for Frontline Health Care (25 February)
The Cost of Security: The state of funding and resourcing for security risk management (26 February)
- We recommend reading this report from Development Initiatives, titled Falling short? Humanitarian funding and reform.
Security Funding: Donor policies and practice (26 February)
- In conjunction with this session, we are pleased to share a draft report examining gaps and actions related to donor engagement with security risk management (SRM). The report is based on a survey with 68 NGO participants. It offers a snapshot of the sector’s current landscape and identifies opportunities for improving SRM funding and implementation.
Supporters
The Conference is generously supported by Ambrelia, IEC Telecom, International Location Safety (ILS), the International NGO Safety & Security Association (INSSA), and Proelium Law LLP. These organisations had exhibition stands present at the Conference and were available to talk with attendees.
Sigma 7 sponsored the canapé reception on 26 February. This evening reception enabled attendees from around the world to network and exchange knowledge on security risk management.
The support of our exhibitors and sponsors subsidised the costs of attendance for national NGOs. Having national NGOs present at the Conference was critical for amplifying their perspective on the biggest security issues and how donors and global actors can help address these.