Archive:
This is the 2016 annual report from the Security Unit of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). This report contains four sections: Section I: Global Statistics – Humanitarian Security. Section II: Compliance with Secretary General directives.…
In armed conflicts across the world, millions of civilians need emergency assistance to survive, but all too often fighting parties prevent this relief from reaching them. The Oxford Guidance on the Law Relating to Humanitarian Relief Operations in Situations of…
The toolkit by DCAF and ICRC (2016) has the form of an overall guidance document with references to a selection of the most relevant existing resources and tools. It includes four chapters: 1) Working with host governments, 2) Working with public security forces,…
Negotiations for access are crucial for the success of humanitarian operations. They also occur in contexts of armed conflict and violence that typically entrench gender identities. Building on the vast research showing that gender affects the conduct and outcome of…
In November, GISF attended a two-part expert roundtable at Chatham House that discussed the challenges NGOs face when working with non-state armed groups, in particular given the impact of counter-terrorism legislation. This is a brief summary of the key points raised and some of the implications counter-terrorism legislation has on the security risk management of NGOs.
In November, GISF attended a two-part expert roundtable at Chatham House that discussed the challenges NGOs face when working with non-state armed groups, in particular given the impact of counter-terrorism legislation. This is a brief summary of the key points raised and some of the implications counter-terrorism legislation has on the security risk management of NGOs.
The humanitarian principles — humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence — are under increased scrutiny and pressure. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to an increased understanding of the perceived and actual challenges humanitarians face in operational contexts as…
This article by Antonio Donini and Daniel Maxwell (2014) provides a first attempt at analysing the complex set of issues around remote management practices in insecure environments and their increased use. It looks at definitions and reviews existing published and…
As humanitarian actors increasingly operate in situations of internal armed conflict, the importance of negotiating with armed non-state actors (ANSAs) to ensure access has come to the forefront. Yet humanitarians on the ground and the broader international humanitarian community often…
At least sixteen hospitals were bombed in Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen over the past few weeks. Powerful nations carried out the aerial bombing campaigns that damaged infrastructure and killed humanitarian staff and civilians. However, the circumstances are usually disputed. Perhaps it is time the humanitarian community installed black boxes to record such events? This article presents a device that records forensic evidence of what happened where, when and who did it. It is a call to the humanitarian community to take part in generating the evidence that will force states to take their responsibilities in protecting humanitarian work seriously.