ReliefWeb

WHY IS THE SAFER ACCESS FRAMEWORK IMPORTANT FOR ME?

The humanitarian landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. While we as National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies work closely with the community and often come from the community, we cannot always be sure of our access to those in need, especially during armed conflict, internal violence or tensions, when sensitivities run high. This is largely because acceptance and access are influenced by how our work is perceived. If individuals or groups, including the beneficiaries of our services, do not understand who we are, what we do, and how and why we do things, suspicions arise. When not addressed, these could easily lead to our activities being suspended or blocked, or even to a serious security incident. In 2016, more than 70 security incidents involving volunteers or staff of Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies across the globe were documented, and in the first eight months of 2017, 29 Red Cross or Red Crescent staff or volunteers were killed while performing their duties.

As Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers, we all have a responsibility to ensure our own safety and that of our colleagues. Doing so will enable us to deliver humanitarian services to communities whenever and wherever needed.

Regardless of what role we play in our National Society, each one of us can contribute to maintaining and strengthening safe access to people and communities through our behaviour and actions and how we apply the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The Safer Access Framework provides us with the tools to achieve this.