Development organisations often face dangers that can impinge on safety and effectiveness. Join our live chat on how to assess and manage risk on Thursday 6 March at 2.30pm
Anna Leach
Guardian Professional,
Médecins Sans Frontières decided to stop working in Somalia last year after assessing the risks to staff. Photograph: Mohamed Sheikh Nor/AP
Attacks on aid workers are increasing according to several reports. Once considered neutral parties, a more complex and unpredictable world has seen 120 NGO staff (national and international) killed, 103 wounded and 113 kidnapped in 2013, says data from the aid worker security database.
In light of this, assessing risks becomes ever more important, so that all staff (not just expatriates) remain safe. But as well as stepping up to their duty of care to protect human life, NGOs must factor in risk to capital assets (damage or loss), which can seriously impact upon their ability to work.
But how much preparation is necessary to significantly reduce risk? And given the expensive and time-consuming nature of risk management, how can small organisations handle the costs - could technology help?
And when do NGOs make the call - like Médecins Sans Frontières did in Somalia last year - that the risk is too great for them to carry out their work?
Join us on Thursday 6 March to share your experiences, concerns and questions with our expert panel. Please note that the time of this week's chat is 2.30-4.30pm GMT.
The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). Get in touch via globaldevpros@theguardian.com or @GdnGlobalDevPro on Twitter to recommend someone for our expert panel. Follow the discussion using the hashtag #globaldevlive.
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