Humanitarian Security Risk Management (Good Practice Review 8 Revised Edition)

The Good Practice Review 8 (GPR8), Operational Security Management in Violent Environments, first published in 2000, was seminal to the field of security risk management in humanitarian operations. For decades, it has remained a staple reference for practitioners navigating complex and volatile operational contexts.

Now in its third edition, retitled Humanitarian Security Risk Management, this updated volume brings together the latest thinking and research in the field. The 2025 edition introduces and applies the concept of a ‘person-centred approach’, which places the individual at the heart of security risk management. It also emphasises the critical work – and disproportionate risk burden – of national and local humanitarian actors, and addresses security considerations within national-international partnerships.

New chapters tackle the security dimensions of access and deconfliction efforts, and explore existing and emerging digital threats – including mis-, dis-, and malinformation, data theft and surveillance. The new edition also broadens the scope of previous versions beyond a sole focus on operational considerations, extending its discussion to include key principles, duty of care, governance structures and funding. With deeper attention to staff care, health and medical considerations, and internal organisational communication, this edition offers a holistic and comprehensive overview of good practice in managing security risks in today’s complex humanitarian environments.

We are pleased to announce the development of a dedicated website for the GPR8, which provides a comprehensive overview of the book’s content, with summaries of each chapter and curated external resources to help readers quickly grasp key content.

See the interactive Humanitarian Security Risk Management (GPR8) now, or download a PDF version of the full book from this page. Due to funding limitations, a print run of hard copies was not possible, but if there is sufficient interest we may be able to accommodate this. If you are interested in a physical copy of this edition, please fill out this form and we will contact you when more information is available.