🌍 World Humanitarian Day serves as a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect both civilians and humanitarian workers in conflict zones. While raising awareness is crucial, we must go beyond hashtags and passion—our community needs to take concrete, strategic actions to ensure safety and foster a healthy work environment.
If you’re working at the country level, here are some practical steps you can take:
- Promote and Invest in Comprehensive Safety Training: Encourage your colleagues to participate in safety trainings such as those offered by DisasterReady, UNDSS, and Kaya. Additionally, provide specialized safety training( including HEAT and HEIST) for guards, drivers, and other frontline workers who are often the first to respond in emergencies. Ensure these trainings are supplemented with resources that promote mental well-being, recognizing that a healthy work culture is foundational to overall safety.
- Develop, Review, and Improve Protocols: Collaborate with your team to create, regularly update, and continuously improve safety and security protocols. Ensure these protocols are practical, up-to-date, and well-communicated to all staff members. They should also incorporate measures that promote a supportive work culture, where staff feel safe and valued.
- Conduct Regular Drills: Implement regular safety drills to prepare your team for various emergencies, such as evacuation or lockdown scenarios. Include elements that address both physical safety and psychological readiness, helping staff to manage stress effectively during crises.
- Check and Maintain Communication Tools: Regularly test and update communication tools to ensure your team can stay connected during emergencies. This includes radios, satellite phones, and other essential communication devices, ensuring that all team members are equipped to stay in touch, which is crucial for both safety and morale.
- Assess and Equip Vehicles Regularly: Schedule routine inspections of vehicles to ensure they are in optimal working condition. Equip them with necessary tools, hibernation kits, trauma kits, and first aid supplies. These steps are not only about ensuring safety but also about reinforcing a culture of preparedness and care.
- Invest in Incident Analysis and Continuous Learning: After any incident, conduct thorough After Action Reviews (AARs) to identify lessons learned. Analyze trends in incidents and leverage this data to improve safety protocols and reduce future risks. Use these insights to foster a learning environment where continuous improvement is part of the organizational culture.
- Engage Local Partners for Contextual Safety: Listen to local partners and communities—they offer valuable insights into safety risks and cultural considerations. Work closely with them to develop context-specific safety measures that are both effective and culturally sensitive.
- Actively Participate in Safety Networks: Engage with safety and security networks like INSO and UNDSS. Regularly update your safety and security risk management plans to reflect current conditions, and ensure these plans are integrated with broader efforts to maintain a supportive, healthy work culture.
- Defend and Secure Safety Budgets: When negotiating with donors, emphasize the critical importance of maintaining safety budgets. Engage in proactive dialogue to secure the necessary funds, making it clear that safety and well-being are non-negotiable priorities.
If you’re at the global level, your role is equally vital in shaping the future of humanitarian safety:
- Advocate for Global Safety Policies: Collaborate with international partners and organizations to develop and push for policies that guarantee the protection of humanitarian workers and civilians, especially in conflict zones. Ensure these policies also promote the mental health and well-being of staff as a key component of safety.
- Engage with the UN and Major Donors: Advocate at the highest levels, including the UN and with major donors, to ensure the principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) are upheld, and that safety, protection, and well-being are at the forefront of humanitarian operations.
- Strengthen International Humanitarian Law: Work with global actors to strengthen the implementation and enforcement of IHL, ensuring that violations against humanitarian workers and civilians are addressed, and perpetrators are held accountable.
- Invest in Technology, Data, and Mental Health Resources: Focus on improving global safety measures through data analysis, new technologies, and innovative safety solutions. Additionally, advocate for the integration of mental health resources into these safety frameworks to ensure a holistic approach to staff well-being.
- Support Local Capacity Building: Advocate for the inclusion of safety measures in global policies that empower and build the capacity of local partners, guards, drivers, and frontline staff. Ensure these efforts are aligned with promoting a positive work culture at the local level.
- Promote and Standardize Global Safety Protocols: Push for the development, adoption, and monitoring of global safety protocols and standards that can be tailored to various operational contexts while ensuring a unified approach to safety and well-being.
- Engage Stakeholders Across Sectors for Comprehensive Safety: Collaborate with NGOs, governments, and the private sector to ensure a comprehensive, multisectoral approach to safety, focusing on building a global culture of protection, risk management, and organizational well-being.
Safety and well-being are everyone’s responsibility. Let’s not just talk about it—let’s take action to protect and support our teams and those we serve.
#WorldHumanitarianDay #SafetyFirst #HumanitarianAid #ProtectCivilians #ActionForSafety #WellbeingAtWork
