Risky Business: 21st Century and Changing Dynamics of Insecurity in Humanitarian Operations

Abstract

The turn of the millennium witnessed significant security challengesin the humanitarian operating environment. Delivering humanitarian aid became risky business. Targeted and collateral attacks against aid workers increased particularly in some high risk humanitarian environments. This was on the background of rise in humanitarian crises causing displacement of millions of people and growth in aid worker numbers to respond to the crises. The reliance on security assurances from host governments and good intentions of humanitarian work, respect of international humanitarian law and principles, and organization humanitarian mandates, to shield humanitarian operations and aid workers from untoward action waned. This was compounded by the rise in fundamentalism, extremism and terrorism in some contexts, with some non-state armed groups seeing humanitarian action and aid workers as legitimate targets for diverse reasons. This paper presents an overview of the changed security dynamics in humanitarian operational environments since the onset of the 21st century. It also explores the reasons and consequences of insecurity and the measures taken to address security risks in humanitarian operations