Load low-bandwidth site?
Help

Global Interagency Security Forum

Formerly EISF
Member and associate login Member chat

Glossary English

The Global Interagency Security Forum (GISF) developed this Glossary to facilitate a common understanding of terms frequently used in security risk management.

The terms and definitions have been drawn from a range of trusted resources, including GISF’s own publications. They have also been informed by a working group of GISF members.

The GISF Glossary is available in four languages: English, French, Spanish and Arabic. The site has been designed to enable easy navigation between terms in each language, supporting more consistent and accurate communication across language barriers.

The GISF Glossary is reviewed and updated regularly, to reflect new terms and changing definitions within the security risk management sector. If you have a term you would like to add to the Glossary or a suggested amendment, please contact us through our feedback form.

Choose language
english flag English
english flag English
spanish flag Español
french flag Français
arabic flag عربي
G

gender

Gender refers to an individual's personal and social identity as a man, woman, or non-binary person. The social differences between genders are deeply rooted in every culture, are changeable over time, and have wide variations both within and between cultures. Gender, along with class and ‘race’, often determines the roles, power, and resources for individuals in society.
Source: Gender and Security: Guidelines for mainstreaming gender in security risk management, GISF
Show translations
Hide translations

gender analysis

Examination of the relationships between different genders and their access to and control of resources, their roles, and the constraints they face relative to each other. A gender analysis should be integrated into the humanitarian needs assessment and in all sector assessments or situational analyses to ensure that gender-based injustices and inequalities are not exacerbated by humanitarian interventions and that where possible greater equality and justice in gender relations are promoted.
Related terms: gender
Source: Gender and Security: Guidelines for mainstreaming gender in security risk management, GISF
Show translations
Hide translations

gender mainstreaming

The strategic assessment and inclusion of gender-specific considerations as an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of security policies, guidelines, and procedures, as well as incorporating these considerations in the safe implementation of programmes in the existing operational context.
Related terms: gender , gender analysis
Source: Gender and Security: Guidelines for mainstreaming gender in security risk management, GISF
Show translations
Hide translations

gender-based violence

Harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender. It is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power and harmful norms. Gender-based violence can include sexual, physical, mental, and economic harm inflicted in public or in private. It also includes threats of violence, coercion, and manipulation. This can take many forms such as intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation and so-called ‘honour crimes’.
Related terms: gender
Source: Gender and Security: Guidelines for mainstreaming gender in security risk management, GISF
Show translations
Hide translations

governance

Structures and processes within an organisation that are designed to ensure accountability, transparency, responsiveness, rule of law, stability, equity and inclusiveness, empowerment, and broad-based participation. SRM governance can take the form of Security Plan or Risk Assessment audits, competency assessments, tabletop exercises, or all staff security conversations etc.
Source: Security to go: a risk management toolkit for humanitarian aid agencies, GISF
Show translations
Hide translations