Library

The library is part of an EISF project to build an extensive online knowledge centre on humanitarian security, to encourage policy sharing and facilitate the better-informed review and refreshing of security management by NGOs. All documents are open-source and free to download.

If you have authored, published or are aware of any documents which could contribute to this library, please bring it to the attention of the EISF Projects and Membership Officer. If documents are sensitive, all organisational affiliation can be removed before posting.

Documents in languages other than English are particularly welcome.

Use the tools below to search the library by topic, region, date or keyword.

Please note - as part of the website re-structuring, documents which previously appeared under Security Management Resources are now included here.

Family First: Liaison and support during a crisis Sara Davidson 2013
A concise EISF Guide on planning, provision and review of family support, accompanied by practical tools.
La Famille avant tout: Soutien et liaison en situation de crise Sara Davidson 2013
Un Guide divisé en trois parties, à savoir la planification, la prestation et le bilan du soutien et de la liaison en situation de crise.
Office Closure Safer Edge, EISF Secretariat 2013
A concise EISF Guide on the safe and secure closure of offices or programmes. Accompanied by practical tools.
Risk Management Expense Portfolio Tool Chris Finucane 2013
The Risk Management Expense Portfolio tool accompanies the EISF Report on the Cost of Security Risk Management for NGOs.
The Cost of Security Risk Management for NGOs Chris Finucane 2013
The Report explores the costs related to safety and security management for aid programmes, and aims to assist all aid practitioners to determine their risk management expenditure more accurately.
Gender and Security: Guidelines for Mainstreaming Gender in Security Risk Management Christine Persaud 2012
Incident Statistics in Aid Worker Safety and Security Management Koenraad van Brabant 2012
Improvised Explosive Devices: Trends and Issues: November 2011 in Review John Caldwell, Civil-Military Fusion Centre 2011
UN integration and humanitarian space Victoria Metcalfe, Alison Giffen and Samir Elhawary 2011
Comparing Urban and Rural Security Incidents Christina Wille & Larissa Fast 2011
Aid, Gender and Security: The gendered nature of security events affecting aid workers and aid delivery Christina Wille & Larissa Fast 2011
Engaging Private Security Providers: A guideline for Non-governmental Organisations Max Glaser 2011
Engager les services d’Entreprises de sécurité privées: Orientations à l’intention des organisations non gouvernementales Max Glaser 2011
Conference report on the involvement of the private security sector in humanitarian assistance operations in Africa Michon Motzouris 2011
Risk Appetite and Risk Tolerance Executive Summary Richard Anderson, Institute of Risk Management 2011
Risk Appetite and Risk Tolerance Richard Anderson, Institute of Risk Management 2011
Somalia: Working in High-risk Environments and Fragile States Ann Mary Olsen, Danish Demining Group 2011
Risk Appetite and Risk Tolerance The Institute of Risk Management 2011
Peace Corps Fact Sheet: Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Peace Corps 2011
From Security Management to Risk Management: Critical Reflections on Aid Agency Maarten Merkelbach & Pascal Daudin; SMI 2011
Global Risks 2011 The World Economic Forum 2011
Security Matrix CSD 2011
Risk in humanitarian action: towards a common approach? Victoria Metcalfe, Ellen Martin and Sara Pantuliano, ODI: HPG 2011
ICRC operational security: staff safety in armed conflict and internal violence Patrick Brugger 2010
How do security events affecting humanitarian agencies differ between urban and rural environments? Insecurity Insight 2010
Risk Management and the Fortified Aid Compound - Everyday life in Post-Interventionary Society Mark Duffield 2010
Training module: Vulnerability Assessment Dworken, J. 2010

Produced for the OFDA/InterAction PVO Security Task Force. Improve your ability to understand the most likely threats your NGO—as opposed to all NGOs—will face in an area, and provide insight into how to reduce the threats you may face.
Example of Risk Assessment 2010
Useful table containing sample risk assessment.
Guide to Security Strategies 2010
Acceptance, protection and deterrence are three strategies, which need to be considered and actively implemented as part of an effective security system. They are aimed at reducing or removing threats and vulnerabilities, and should be based on the context analysis and the risk assessment. They are not mutually exclusive; the key is to adopt the right mix in a given context.
Security Levels 2010
Sample levels used by one organisation.
EISF Report - Risk Thresholds in Humanitarian Assistance Madeleine Kingston and Oliver Behn, EISF 2010
Risk Thresholds in Humanitarian Assistance looks at how humanitarian organisations express their attitudes to risk, and considers how priorities at different organisational levels might be better integrated when decisions are made on whether to accept or reject certain risks.
Security Perceptions Survey - Final Report Fast, L and Wiest, D 2010
A Structured Approach to ERM and requirements of ISO 31000 AIRMIC 2010
Sample structure of a Risk Register 2010
A useful Excel sample of a risk register, showing a possible structure.
Risk Management Standards - Summary and Comparison 2010
A useful Excel sheet charting different risk management standards
Best Value Toolkit: Risk management Audit Scotland 2010
The Best Value toolkits are a series of audit diagnostics, which will help reviewers to establish the extent to which public bodies’ arrangements are designed to achieve, and are actually delivering, Best Value.
Afghanistan Study Day - Course outline Medicins du Monde and Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Grenoble 2010
Understanding Risk Management of Aid Organisations: An Analysis of Security System Design and Function Humanitarian Policy, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Security Management Intiative 2010
The New "Security Level System" and Security Risk Management The United Nations Department for Safety and Security 2010
Security Risk Management: NGO Approach InterAction Security Unit 2010
Introduction to Risk Management 2010
Once Removed: Lessons and Challenges in Remote Management of Humanitarian Operations for Insecure Areas Stoddard, A., Harmer, A. and Renouf, S., Humanitarian Outcomes 2010
Convergence of security risks: Addressing the security dilemma in today’s age of blended threats PriceWaterHouseCooper, 2010 2010
Pushing the boundary- Risk Management beyond insurance Zurich, 2010 2010
EISF Article Series - Risk Transfer Through Hardening Mentalities? Oliver Behn and Madeleine Kingston (EISF) 2009
In light of the attacks against the United Nations in both Peshawar and Kabul in autumn 2009, the UN has decided to "harden" itself as a target, using a protection-based strategy to reduce the vulnerability of its staff. But to what degree will this simply transfer risk to NGOs, who do not have similar resources available, and who regardless rely on acceptance-based strategies?
Country Security Plan outline 2009
Country-level guidelines: a template for a Country Security Plan
Essentials of Humanitarian Negotiation Workshop UNHCR 2009
Risk Assessment for Personnel Security Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure 2009
A guide to help security managers to conduct risk assessments and identify countermeasures to protect them from their staff.
Remote Programming Modalities in Somalia - a discussion paper Oxfam International, Merlin 2009
DFID - Operating in Insecure Environments National Audit Office 2008
Managing Stress in Humanitarian Work: A Systems Approach to Risk Reduction Antares Foundation 2008
Highlighting the benefits of a systematic program of risk reduction for humanitarian organisations.
Risk Management: Best Practices for NGOs Stuart Emslie (Loughborough University Business School) 2008
Safety and Security of ILO staff (Algiers bombing) International Labour Office 2008
Duty of care? Local staff and aid worker security Katherine Haver 2007
Staff vulnerabilities - Information Note People in Aid 2007
Information note regarding why staff may be vulnerable, considering their age, gender, nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, status and language skills.
Ethics and compliance risk management LRN 2007
Developing a Security-Awareness Culture - Improving Security Decision Making SANS Institute 2005
Guide to Security Risk Assessment 2003
Risk is a product of threats and vulnerability (risk = threat x vulnerability). A structured security risk assessment will help to identify the likely threats, the degree of vulnerability to them and will assist in making decisions about whether the risks are acceptable and manageable. It is a thorough examination of what could cause intentional loss or harm, in order to reduce and manage the risks.
Mainstreaming the Organisational Management of Safety and Security: A Review of Aid Agency Practices and a Guide for Management - HPG Report 9 Koenraad Van Brabant (Humanitarian Policy Group) 2001
This report offers a comparative overview of recent aid agency attempts to strengthen the management of safety and security.
Landmines Security Training Jan Davis 1998
This security training module was produced for OFDA/InterAction PVO Security Task Force by Jan Davis of RedR.

Events

Hostile Environment Awareness For Humanitarians
24 Jun 2013

This programme is designed specifically for humanitarians whose work takes them to challenging, remote or hostile regions, where getting the job do...
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Safety, Security and Remote First Aid for Humanitarians
24 Jun 2013
near Oxford, United Kingdom

Safer Edge is running a new Safety, Security & Remote First Aid for Humanitarians course, in the UK.

The course will give staff deployi...
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Personal Safety and Security in the Field
24 Jun 2013
Nairobi, Kenya

This is an intensive four-day course where you will discuss, learn and apply approaches and measures to improve your personal security when living ...
more...

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