Project for a humanitarian security network
- Issue 10 Issue 10: Editorial – humanitarianism under threat
- 1 Échange Humanitaire No.10 : Bulletin d’information
- 2 Conflict resolution training in another culture: lessons from Angola
- 3 Sierra Leone: an attack on humanitarianism
- 4 Challenges to humanitarian agencies in the field: considering the options
- 5 The recruitment of emergency personnel: different agency perspectives
- 6 Policy and practice: developments around aid agency security
- 7 Assistance strategy for Afghanistan: UN 'business as usual' or a new model of partnership in complex political emergencies?
- 8 The Ottawa Convention and the Nobel Prize: two victories in the fight against anti-personnel mines
- 9 The European Platform on Conflict Prevention and Transformation
- 10 Project for a humanitarian security network
- 11 Sphere Project Progress to Date
- 12 Cambodia (February 1998)
- 13 Congo-Brazzaville (February 1998)
- 14 Sri Lanka (February 1998)
- 15 Liberia (February 1998)
- 16 Kosovo (February 1998)
In the course of recent years, security incidents on the ground have increased in frequency, complexity and intensity. Information on these incidents emerges in a relatively piecemeal way, and this prevents any attempt at compiling statistics, analysing cases in context, and learning from them.
Nevertheless, information does exist, although it is difficult to access in the public domain. Security is a collective issue and can no longer be identified in a fragmentary way by each individual organisation. The processing, analysis and dissemination of information are key factors in guiding the decisions of the organisations not just on the ground, but also at the headquarters level and for the humanitarian sector overall.
This being so, an initial group of four humanitarian agencies (Action Contre la Faim, Disaster Relief Agency, Intersos and Medecins du Monde) has come together through the European NGO Consortium VOICE (Voluntary Organisations Cooperating in Emergencies) to reflect upon these points and to put forward some concrete proposals. This working group has set up a project aimed at compiling a database common to the humanitarian organisations, pooling information relating to the security of their staff. This programme aims to record, analyse and identify the principal trends in security incidents which should make it possible to identify patterns of violence and their appropriate response. Currently the project is completing the identification phase, and should now move into the design phase.
The implementation of the programme will be supervised by a Steering Group composed of a small number of voluntary organisations. These will be responsible for guiding and validating the various stages of progress. In order to allow more organisations to be involved in the project, an Enlarged Consultation Group will be established. Its members will be kept regularly informed of the developments in the project and will be able to pass on their comments and remarks to the Steering Group.
The formation of these groups is currently being defined. Organisations wishing for further information on the project may contact:
Mr. Pierre Gallien
Action Contre la Faim
Paris
tel: (33) 1 5380 8814
fax: (33) 1 4565 9250
email: pgallien@club-internet.fr
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