At What Cost? The true cost and value of security risk management (Dublin 2025)
On 25-27 February 2025, GISF will host its inaugural Global Security Risk and Policy Conference. The event will be themed around funding and resourcing for security risk management. Register below to secure your place!
We are excited to welcome you to the Global Interagency Security Forum’s (GISF) first Global Security Risk and Policy Conference.
Registration
Registration is now open for GISF’s inaugural Global Security Risk and Policy Conference. The event will be held from 25-27 February in Dublin, the Republic of Ireland at the Hilton Hotel (Charlemont Place).
Register now to secure your place! While the event is free, your attendance is subject to approval by GISF. Spaces are limited to encourage open discussion.
You can also register to livestream the Conference if you are unable to travel to Dublin.
If you are interested in attending either of the pre-conference closed-door side meetings on 25 February, you should register for these separately. More information on these sessions is available below under the Agenda section.
Who should attend?
This event is 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 will be themed around resourcing and funding security risk management. Through a series of talks and panel discussions we will delve 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 event will bring 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 will also participate, contributing to solutions.
In addition to identifying short-term opportunities, the event aims 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 current Conference agenda. Sessions may be subject to change in the coming weeks. This page will be updated regularly to reflect any changes.
We are pleased to announce that Senator Tom Clonan will deliver the opening address. Senator Clonan is a former Irish peacekeeper and vocal advocate of the importance of international humanitarian law and human rights for all.
The Conference will begin on the afternoon of 26 February. Abstracts for the Conference sessions on 26-27 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.
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.
We have an exciting line-up of speakers and panellists confirmed 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 (GlobalmSecuritymAdvisor, Evangelisches Werk für Diakonie undEntwicklung 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)
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 Policy Group, ODI)
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)
Pascal Valette (Security Manager, Gret/AVSF)
Paul Westbury (Head Global Safety & Access Department, GOAL)
Session descriptions are also available for the pre-Conference side meetings on 25 February. If you are interested in joining these sessions please register here.
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 will aim at providing pragmatic insights, based on case studies and group work, onto the challenges to manage security and to incorporate comprehensive security risk management into humanitarian health responses. It will also enhance 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 will share results and learnings from their current pilot in partnership capacity strengthening. Members of the ECHO-funded PARTAGE consortium will also provide an update on their NNGO-led SRM capacity building initiative in the Sahel. This will be 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 will also host 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 will be presented for endorsement by the membership. The document will have been shared in advance.
The AGM will be live-streamed, allowing all members to participate.
Only member organisations up-to-date with their membership payments are permitted to vote. A formal notice of the AGM will be sent to members in early 2025.
We also invite all attendees to join us for food and drinks at McCaffertys at the Barge on Tuesday 25 February from 6:30pm. For those attending the pre-Conference side meetings, we will head over shortly after these have finished. All attendees are responsible for paying for their own food and drinks.
Resources
Travel and accommodation information
The Conference will be held at the Hilton Dublin (Charlemont Place). Attendees are welcome to stay at the venue, but GISF has also compiled other accommodation options here, so you can compare price and location information.
We have also prepared a comprehensive welcome pack, with the all the information you will need for your visit to Dublin. This includes public transportation links, visa requirements, and options for dining.
For any questions, please get in touch with Charlotte from the GISF team at charlotte@gisf.ngo.
Conference resources
Security Risk Management for Frontline Health Care (25 February)
Attendees for this pre-Conference side meeting can access Insecurity Insight’s Handbook for Addressing the Risks of Violence against Health Care in Insecure and Conflict-affected Settings in English, French, Spanish or Arabic.
The Cost of Security: The state of funding and resourcing for security risk management (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 will have exhibition stands present at the Conference and be available to talk with attendees.
Sigma 7 is sponsoring the canapé reception on 26 February. This evening reception will enable attendees from around the world to network and exchange knowledge on security risk management.
The support of our exhibitors and sponsors is subsidising the costs of attendance for national NGOs. Having national NGOs present at the Conference will be critical for amplifying their perspective on the biggest security issues and how donors and global actors can help address these.