The GISF Policy Working Group has put together a briefing note on how humanitarian security will be affected by the recent Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel. Download the full briefing through the yellow button on the left hand side, and find the summary below:

Summary

The Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, launched at the UN General Assembly in September 2025, represents a significant political commitment by states to strengthen the safety and security of aid workers. While non-binding, the Declaration carries weight in shaping donor policies, UN frameworks, and state practice. For NGO safety and security, the most relevant commitments fall under:

• Access: Streamlining visas/customs, creating CT/sanctions exemptions, preventing criminalisation, countering disinformation, and supporting civil–military coordination.
• Protection of Personnel: Addressing disproportionate risks to local staff, strengthening training and risk assessment capacity, improving access to security information and wellbeing support, promoting collaborative SRM planning, and enabling flexible funding.

These commitments are advocacy levers to press donors and states for dedicated and flexible SRM funding, removal of operational barriers, equitable support for local partners, and investment in collaborative security systems. SRM professionals can use the Declaration to brief advocacy, fundraising, and leadership colleagues, ensuring its language informs donor negotiations and organisational priorities.