AID AGENCY SECURITY IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN
Jamie Williamson, Executive Director of ICoCA, in an opinion piece published in the New Humanitarian, talks about how the aid sector is lagging behind in terms of due diligence and oversight in its contracting of private security providers.
“Surprisingly little thought seems to be given to what could happen if one hires the wrong security company, or if contract requirements actually encourage sub-standard industry practices and corruption.
Paying lip service to human rights isn’t enough. It’s easy for the security companies to say they’ll uphold codes of conduct – covering everything from modern slavery to human trafficking, from fraud to sexual exploitation and abuse. But verification that they are actually applying – let alone committed to – these policies is strikingly absent. At the most, they may have to tick a box and send in copies of company policies. ”
Jamie Williamson, Executive Director, ICoCA