Aid worker security is a constant concern for the global development community, and ensuring humanitarians are as well protected as possible starts at the foundation of an organization — with its people.
Recruiters, as they begin building a team of humanitarians, must make sure they are constructing a resilient team that can stay as safe and protected as possible. That’s why, for example, leadership at the International Committee of the Red Cross rarely sends first mission delegates into new emergencies or complex conflicts, said Markus Dolder, ICRC’s former head of human resources marketing who is now its head of support based in Kyiv, Ukraine, in an exclusive interview.
“We want people who have a sense of diplomacy and are aware of the kind of situations they could be exposed,” he added.
About the author
Helen Morgan
Helen Morgan is a journalist and editor, primarily focusing on climate change, migration, humanitarian crises, and human rights. She was previously an Associate Editor at Devex, where she managed the op-eds section and led a project covering climate resilience in small island developing states. Helen was also features editor at World Politics Review, and editor and writer at the environmental think tank WRI, as well as editing for The New Humanitarian. She lives and works in Barcelona, Spain.
