To Stay and Deliver: Good practice for humanitarians in complex security environments

By Jan Egeland, Adele Harmer, Abby Stoddard
August 2011

'In response to growing concerns regarding the insecurity of aid operations and the resulting decline in humanitarian access, the present study, commissioned by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), set out to identify and document those strategies and practices that have enabled humanitarian organisations to maintain effective operations in contexts characterised by high security risks. In the second half of 2010 an independent research team, led by former Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, undertook six field studies in complex security environments, conducted interviews with 255 humanitarian practitioners and policymakers, surveyed over 1,100 national staff members, and carried out a desk-based review of organisational literature and case-based evidence. This report synthesises the findings as well as specific inputs and guidance received from the study’s Advisory Group.'

Suggested Citation

Egeland, J., Harmer, A., Stoddard, A. (2011). To Stay and Deliver: Good practice for humanitarians in complex security environments. UN OCHA, February.