7. Security planning and management
The Safety and Security Officer first identifies the main threats, the vulnerability of CARE personnel/assets, and knowing which resources are available or which capacities are limited. The Safety and Security Officer then adapts existing CARE policies/procedures and establishes other needed and sensible procedures appropriate to the emergency situation. Security must be integrated into all aspects of operational management.
Decision-making processes and responsibilities relating to safety and security must be clear, and ensure that informed decisions can be taken and implemented as quickly as possible. The Safety and Security Officer should provide guidance for initial safety and security procedures, and ensure they are followed until the Safety and Security Plan for the emergency is completed.
7.1.1 Communicating decisions
- Persons in charge and authorised to take such decisions must be clearly identified.
- Communicate decisions to whomever it may concern with clarity and without delay
The three principles of security strategies are: Acceptance, Protection and Deterrence (refer to the CARE International safety and Security Management Plan Guide, pp. 14-15). The Safety and Security Officer and the emergency team must decide on the appropriate mix of security strategies to adopt, taking into consideration CARE’s culture, values and capacity in relation to the mission.
Based on the overarching security strategy, the Safety and Security Officer and emergency team shall prioritise each risk, establish a threshold/limit to how much risk they are willing to accept and will identify ways to reduce these risks by:
- reducing the probability of occurrence
- reducing the potential impact by reducing vulnerability
- being prepared to respond to security incidents and their consequences to lessen the impact.
This should be documented in the emergency Safety and Security Plan, which should be communicated to relevant staff.
7.2.1 Acceptance
Community and authority acceptance (formal and informal) represent CARE’s most important security strategy, and has a direct impact on staff safety and security. Acceptance depends on CARE’s image, reputation, staff behaviour and nature of programmes. The way that projects are designed and carried out, and how CARE reacts to events, must be transparent and consistent with the guiding principles it communicates.
In addition to developing the basic safety and security plan, the Safety and Security Officer must conduct contingency planning for any potential changes or deterioration in the security situation, using the Safety and Security Contingency Plan component of the CARE International Safety and Security Management Plan Template.
Contingency planning is essential to lessen the impact of any safety or security incident or event, and help to prepare adequate responses. The Safety and Security Contingency Plan also facilitates coordination with other agencies or authorities for evacuation planning or other critical responses to incidents. This contingency planning must also be communicated, understood and accepted by CARE personnel.
