Aid workers have found themselves increasingly at risk of violence and attacks in the last 20 years. As a response, humanitarian organisations have started using more and improved security measures to protect aid workers, including contracting private security companies PSCs. However, despite this trend, the utilisation of PSCs by these organisations and their potential impact on both external perceptions and operational dynamics have received limited analysis.
The Author argues that the involvement of security companies hired by humanitarian entities can potentially contribute to the militarization of the humanitarian space, inadvertently projecting an inaccurate image to local communities. This misperception carries the risk of further compromising the safety of aid workers and undermining the crucial principles of neutrality and independence that guide their efforts. Private Security Companies PSCs have become a recurrent presence in conflict-affected regions or areas affected by political, economic or social instability.
PSCs have become increasingly involved in providing security for humanitarian organisations operating in conflict or crisis-torn zones, but their use can be controversial and raises ethical questions. Additionally, it is crucial to explore if this engagement might influence the principles of neutrality and independence.
The following analysis is based on several interviews conducted between May and October with UN and NGO professionals working on humanitarian action and security. In some instances, such as those involving drones, unmanned weapons, or shelling, the presence of security personnel on the ground may not directly correlate with the risks faced by humanitarian workers due to their external perception.
Therefore, the insights provided in this article pertain specifically to certain contexts and may not be applicable across all scenarios. Starting from the mids the number of PSCs at the service of humanitarian organisations has been increasing. According to a humanitarian security expert in Geneva, this expansion has been influenced by the need to address insecurity, the increasing privatisation of security across various domains which has naturally extended to the humanitarian sector , the broader trend of professionalisation within the humanitarian field but arguably also its general expansion , and the risk-averse policies enhanced by security professionals working within humanitarian organisations.
