Operationalising Inclusivity

The GISF Podcast - Global Interagency Security Forum

We are excited to release the second episode of GISF’s new Inclusive Security Podcast Series. This episode focuses on a operationalising inclusivity featuring guest speaker Araba Cole from the International Rescue Committee (IRC). This series explores inclusivity through the lens of security risk management (SRM). It can be said that inclusivity is at the heart of successful SRM. Organisations have a responsibility to provide a duty of care to all staff. They must take all reasonable measures to protect their staff from foreseeable risks, including those that emerge due to an aid worker’s personal characteristics such as, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disabilities, sexual orientation etc. Security professionals need to have a comprehensive understanding of how personal identities and characteristics can impact personal security. This knowledge should be integrated into security polices and approaches so that they are inclusive and effective for all.

While it is important to design and create inclusive security policies and practices, operationalising inclusivity can come with challenges. What do security mangers need to know? How can they stay up to date and ultimately keep producing and designing inclusive security procedures? This podcast series explores the elements of inclusive security, what it is and what it looks like in the humanitarian context. These conversations are enriched by expert guests spanning security professionals, humanitarians, and more.