Security (for local people/local communities)

"Security" has a dual focus for aid workers: security for the aid workers themselves, and security for the local people aid workers are in a country to help.

This page is focused on providing security for the local people that aid workers are in a country to help, including local staff. There is another advice page of information on security relating to aid workers themselves.

Providing aid may seem benign to an aid worker, but such aid can put local staff and recipient groups at risk. Some things every aid worker should be able to answer:

• Do/could local people face any adverse consequences by working with your organization, or receiving aid from your organization?

• Do/could particular demographics (women, people from a minority group, people who work in a particular trade, etc.) face any adverse consequences by working with your organization, or receiving aid from your organization?
  

A few recommended resources relating to this subject:

The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Global Security News and Reports, which provides links to a variety of sources for daily security-related news articles, overseas reports on security and crime incidents, presentations on terroristic attacks, etc. Excellent source of information to evaluate the current situation in any country.

The Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG), a project of the Overseas Development Institute, has produced the document Providing aid in insecure environments:trends in policy and operations (PDF).

Also see AWN's discussion forum regarding security issues.

Also see AWN's advice page on security relating to aid workers themselves.

AWN would like to list more organizations, publications and web sites that provide information related to providing security for local people. Like other AWN Advice pages, we aren't looking for this page to be a comprehensive resource but, rather, a place that links to credible, practical organizations and resources related to the subject.

If you would like to volunteer to be responsible for this page's information, please see the AWN volunteer guidelines and follow the directions to express interest. Or, if you would like to contribute an item to this page, simply post your question, comment or suggestion on this subject directly to the AWN Forum.