How 3 seasoned aid workers prepare for mission in a conflict zone

When Pranav Shetty gets ready to deploy for a new mission, he receives a kit from his employer containing a satellite phone, Internet device, solar charger, plug converters, GPS tracking device, water filter, tent and sleeping bag. The kit’s provisions are part of the International Medical Corps’ emergency deployment procedure, particularly for on-call staff required for immediate deployment like Shetty, the organization’s senior technical coordinator for emergency response. Shetty, for his part, makes sure he packs clothes that suit the climate in-country, and carries extra food and medicines such as antibiotics and antimalarial drugs for emergencies located in malaria prone areas. He also reads up on country specifics — language, currency, ethnic makeup — on the plane as part of his program preparations. But conflict zones require extra precautions and preparations. And for aid workers considering working or assigned to work in such an environment — likely inevitable given the increasing concentration of humanitarian needs and resources in fragile and conflict settings — the seasoned aid worker’s suggestion was: Do it with a reputable organization that has done it before and has made careful assessment of the place of deployment. “A conflict setting is not a place to try out new things, especially from a security perspective,” he told Devex. Learn about the organization’s security culture It’s helpful to look into an organization’s security culture and procedure. International Medical Corps, for example, has a security manager — often one of the first people sent on location — whose bottom line is to keep everyone safe, to understand the context and the local actors present, and to determine which routes of travel are safe to take and which should be avoided. Of course every employee needs to look after their own actions to lessen the probability of incidents such as robbery, for example, which can be particularly high in contexts such as South Sudan, where aid workers are perceived to have more resources than the general population, Shetty said. But having a security manager to advise on danger routes or shout out instructions for staff to lie on the ground upon hearing a warning sound of a mortar is significantly helpful. “In Iraq we came within 2 kilometers of an [Islamic State group] checkpoint. Good thing [our] security manager had good contacts on the ground … Otherwise, we wouldn’t know,” he said. Ask about evacuation and contingency plans You can’t expect to leave everything to the security manager. It’s important that employees also go through an organization’s security plans, for example the evacuation plan when the need to “hibernate” arises. Employees must ask questions about how to get there and what to expect — as well as understand the dynamics and threats present, and the contingency and protection measures in place, Shetty shared. Not all conflict areas offer the same types of threats to aid workers. Some are more prone to sudden exchange of gunfire, while others have a higher risks of kidnapping — as is the case in Yemen, where Shetty was deployed six months ago. There, he recalled having “handlers” or security personnel who walked in front of him and behind him wherever he went. Contact your embassy If it will make you more comfortable, checking in on the people you’d likely work with on the ground might also be helpful. In some countries, organizations prefer to leave the driving to local staff for insurance issues, or more pragmatic reasons such as locals being more knowledgeable of travel routes. This means that having complete trust on drivers is important. Shetty briefly mentioned looking at an organization’s recruitment procedures or asking about staff performance, if available. More often than not, however, especially in kidnapping incidents, the situation is escalated to the victim’s government. Overseas, this means to the country’s embassy. In high-risk places such as Afghanistan, Shetty said it‘s possible organizations provide staff information to embassies for safety purposes. But this may not always be the case, and it may not be done systematically. So for those who want to ensure government support or intervention in such circumstances — at least for U.S. citizens — the State Department offers the Smart Traveller Enrollment Program, a free service where you can log in your travel plans or trip abroad. The service offers travel warnings in-country of destination, allows the embassy to know your whereabouts and contact you in case of an emergency, as well as provide information to your family and friends back home if something happens to you. Do your own research Most international organizations, particularly those with years of experience working in a conflict zones, provide security trainings to staff going to these areas. Some undergo online tests where they also get a chance to learn of basic do’s and don’ts on the ground, while others experience simulation exams, as did Cecile Laguardia, communications manager for World Vision in Iraq. She had to take both exams — and pass — before deployment to one of today’s biggest humanitarian crises. Laguardia has been working with World Vision for more than a decade, so she is already familiar with the organization’s protocols. She also previously worked in the southern Philippines, where she is from and where a fragile peace deal was signed between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2012 after decades of conflict. But she knew that to be effective at her job, while keeping herself and the organization’s reputation in check, she needed to do her research beyond what World Vision provided. So she set out to find books on Iraq, which she found mainly in used bookstores in the Philippines. “You can’t really make some comments, because [the conflict is] very complex, [or else you] jeopardize yourself and [your] organization,” Laguardia said in mixed English and Filipino. Think it through Having grown up and worked in a conflict-affected area, Laguardia felt ready to work in Iraq, and she pushed through with the assignment despite protests from her children and some colleagues back home. But she argued that going to Iraq and other conflict-affected places is a bad idea for first-timers. “If you are an applicant, I wouldn’t really advise you go to areas like Iraq if you haven’t done conflict areas before … or Afghanistan. You really have to do the smaller scale first before you go there,” she said. She noted that it is in these places where aid workers need to be watchful of their “emotional health.” “You can do so much… but you cannot do everything for everyone,” she said. As these are highly stressful environments, it is also advisable to check with the sending organization on rest and recuperation policies. In Iraq, as part of World Vision, Laguardia was entitled to a week’s leave from work every three months. Have a clear understanding of your mission Patrick Youssef had two separate missions in Iraq: first as a delegate whose responsibilities were concentrated mainly in the Kurdistan region, with work centered on going to the field and visiting places of detention. In his second deployment, however, which concluded late last year, Youssef was International Committee of the Red Cross’ head of delegation in Iraq. And that, he said, required a different preparation. Youssef’s first mission focused mainly on the ICRC’s history in the country, the dynamics of the conflict and asking questions on how best he can help. His second mission led him to explore further, asking questions relating to the environment, reading about neighboring countries such as Syria, Turkey and Iran, and then learning about the organization’s security framework, rules and management. But understanding the mission also means knowing the extent as well as limits of the organization’s work, which is an essential element of preparation too, he said. “Knowing or managing your expectations when going to the field is I think very important. One sometimes has ideals that want to implement or see applied in the field, but then during deployment one can be easily disappointed in what we do, for example,” he said. Call your colleagues In preparing for mission, you can get easily consumed by the work at hand and the requirements that come with the job. But some of the things you’ll realize you need cannot be found in those security manuals or briefings your organization gave you, such as whether there is Internet where you’ll be staying. “I will always call … my predecessor, some people who’ve worked in the context, to help answer some of my questions … like how you lived, how was transportation, simple questions like do you have Internet, how did you communicate with your family?” Youssef shared. Brief your loved ones Youssef’s wife also worked with ICRC, so both of them already are aware of how the organization works and understand the demands of the job. But when asked to go on a mission in a high-risk environment, the seasoned humanitarian worker tries to put his family on board. He discusses with his wife about the future, how they’ll manage the kids — he has two young daughters — the house, and other responsibilities he’d need to leave behind for the moment. “I always think of, God forbid, me being kidnapped, what do I want them to know? So I think about these cases, and if something should happen, what should they expect from the ICRC, how should they react, what should they do, which number should they call,” he said. “I know many of my colleagues don’t do these, but I think they realize once they are in the field, that when they go back they should start to discuss a lot of things, because they are not going to Hong Kong or Canada … anything can happen, [and] within specific places … we are much more exposed to security threats,” he shared. Devex Professional Membership means access to the latest buzz, innovations, and lifestyle tips for development, health, sustainability and humanitarian professionals like you. 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