The UN has just published a new report focusing on risk management for humanitarian workers. The document contains much valuable information also for tentmakers and business as mission people working in sensitive areas.

Humanitarian workers are under threat as ever before according to the UN report named “To stay and deliver”. The report says that the number of lethal attacks on humanitarian workers have tripled the past years. Currently an average of 100 workers are killed on the job every year. The situation is worst in Afghanistan where there have been 180 major attacks on humanitarian workers since 2005. Sudan (150 attacks) and Somalia (100 attacks) follow as number two and three.

– There are no places where humanitarian organizations should not go or cannot go. Instead of asking what does it take to leave, we should ask what does it take to stay in Mazar-i-Sharif and other such places. Risk management means you adapt to the circumstances, said Jan Egeland when the report was presented in New York in the middle of April. Egeland who is the director of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, has led the research group behind the UN report.

The report contains information on best practices for agencies working in conflict areas. Many tentmakers are involved in such relief work. The content is also valuable for tentmakers and business people operating in such areas. For instance it is underlining how important it is to develop plans for security including evacuation plans.