Aid Worker Security Database Explained

The Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD) is a project of the international research group Humanitarian Outcomes. Funded by USAID, it records major incidents, from 1997 to present, of attacks on humanitarian workers worldwide. As cited in the New York Times, "it is widely regarded as an authoritative reference for aid organisations and governments in assessing trends in security threats."[1] Since its inception in 2005 as the first fully comprehensive compilation of this data, the AWSD has been a source of quantitative evidence on matters related to the security of humanitarian operations in conflict, referenced in policy debates and cited in official United Nations statements,[2] United Nations General Assembly resolutions,[3] United Nations Security Council documents,[4] and reports of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.[5]

The data, which is openly available for searching and downloading, is regularly relied upon by other databases in the humanitarian crisis analysis community, such as ACLED.[6] It has also been cited in US Congressional and State Department documents[7] and UK Parliament reports,[8] as well as by major media outlets including: The Associated Press,[9] BBC News,[10] The New York Times,[11] Reuters,[12] The Economist,[13] Al Jazeera,[14] El Pais,[15] The Guardian,[16] The Irish Times,[17] La Figaro,[18] La Monde,[19] Scientific American,[20] Christian Science Monitor,[21] and National Public Radio.[22]

History

The AWSD was developed by Humanitarian Outcomes partners Abby Stoddard and Adele Harmer, then at New York University's Center on International Cooperation and the Overseas Development Institute's Humanitarian Policy Group, respectively. The first published research using this data was a 2006 report titled Providing Aid in Insecure Environments, by Stoddard, Harmer, and a colleague, Katherine Haver.[23] This report provided statistical analysis, finding attacks on aid workers worldwide nearly doubled between 1997 and 2005 in absolute terms, and rose by 20 percent in terms of per capita rates.

Data

From the website, customizable search options allow for users of the data to download as csv files with relevantly sorted information.[24] An API is also available. The online dataset contains security incidents (attacks) from 1997 to present, and is updated in real time.

Parameters

Attacks against aid workers recorded in the AWSD are defined as "major", including intentional killings, kidnappings, serious sexual assault/rape, and attacks causing serious injury. The definition of an aid worker is also limited to those working in emergency contexts to provide humanitarian relief (as opposed to political, developmental or other assistance). The aid worker victims are employees, or contractors and consultants, of not-for-profit aid agencies. All organisations and victim names are kept confidential and not included in the public data. This choice was made because victim information is not available for all incidents, and those close to the victims may not wish to have the names published.[25] The information that is publicly available for each incident is as follows:[25]

Sources

The AWSD engages with a variety of sources to ensure completeness of the dataset. Each incident publicly lists one of the following sources;[25]

Verification

Annually, all incidents from the previous year are comprehensively verified with agencies who work in the humanitarian sector, to ensure all the details are accurately reflected in the database. The team works with 100 NGO/INGO and UN agencies per year in order to confirm, update, and collect additional incident data, and to source additional incidents that may not have been previously captured via other means.[26] Each year the verified numbers are presented in the Aid Worker Security Report, which is published on the Humanitarian Outcomes website and publicly available.[27] This verified data also supports and helps define the theme of the annual report, which is on a topic that is significant to the humanitarian community or highlighted by trends supported by the data. An easily digestible one-page fact sheet, Figures at Glance, is also usually published in August and highlights the findings from the previous years verified data.

Publications

Citations

Media

Books and articles

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Attacks on Aid Workers Jump Worldwide, Group Says. Gladstone. Rick. 2014-08-18. The New York Times. 2019-06-27. 0362-4331.
  2. Web site: United Nations Remarks at the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment High-Level Panel. O'Brien. Stephen. June 22, 2017. United Nations.
  3. Web site: Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 11 December 2017. January 15, 2018. United Nations General Assembly.
  4. Web site: Letter dated 5 August 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General. Grant. Mark Lyall. August 6, 2014. United Nations Security Council.
  5. Web site: Safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel. Report of the Secretary-General. September 24, 2018. United Nations Secretary General.
  6. Web site: New Data From Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD) Complements ACLED Reporting Acled Data. Matfess. Hilary. 2019-07-15. 2019-11-14.
  7. Book: Programs, United States Congress House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related. State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations for 2015: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session. 2014. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  8. Web site: Tackling violence against aid workers - International Development Committee - House of Commons. publications.parliament.uk. 2019-11-14.
  9. Web site: Red Cross says health and aid workers face unabated attacks. 2019-04-01. AP NEWS. 2019-11-14.
  10. News: 'Leadership' needed from UK to protect aid workers. 2019-08-06. 2019-11-14.
  11. News: Taliban Target Aid Groups, in an Ominous Turn in Afghanistan. Nordland. Rod. 2019-05-13. The New York Times. 2019-11-14. 0362-4331.
  12. Web site: Briton's death in Kenya adds to long list of aid worker killings. news.trust.org. 2019-11-14.
  13. News: In the firing line. 2009-08-26. The Economist. 2019-11-14. 0013-0613.
  14. Web site: UN sounds alarm over killings of aid workers. www.aljazeera.com. 2019-11-14.
  15. News: La ayuda humanitaria pide socorro. Agudo. Alejandra. 2014-08-19. El País. 2019-11-14. es. 1134-6582.
  16. News: Deaths of humanitarian aid workers reach record high. Jones. Sam. 2014-08-18. The Guardian. 2019-11-14. 0261-3077.
  17. News: Number of attacks on aid workers hits record level. The Irish Times. 2019-11-14.
  18. Web site: Les talibans frappent dans un hôtel de Kaboul. Bambuck. Maeva. Figaro. Service photo Service photo du. 2014-03-21. Le Figaro.fr. fr. 2019-11-14.
  19. News: Niveau record d'attaques contre des travailleurs humanitaires. 2014-08-19. 2019-11-14. fr.
  20. Web site: Getting Killed for Saving Lives. Gorman. Christine. Scientific American Blog Network. 2019-11-14.
  21. News: Helpers in a hostile world: the risk of aid work grows. 2012-02-10. The Christian Science Monitor. 2019-11-14. 0882-7729.
  22. Web site: In Their Own Words: Why Armed Fighters Attack Aid Workers. NPR.org. 2019-11-14.
  23. Stoddard. Abby. September 2006. Providing Aid in insecure environments: trends in policy and operations. HPG Report. 23. 1–66. ODI.
  24. Web site: The Aid Worker Security Database, 1997-present The Aid Worker Security Database. aidworkersecurity.org. 2019-06-27.
  25. Web site: About the data The Aid Worker Security Database. aidworkersecurity.org. 2019-06-27.
  26. Web site: What is the AWSD?. Humanitarian Ouctomes. 2019.
  27. Web site: Aid Worker Security Report 2019 Humanitarian Outcomes. www.humanitarianoutcomes.org. 2019-06-27.
  28. Book: Stoddard, Abby. Necessary Risks: Professional Humanitarianism and Violence against Aid Workers. 2020. Palgrave Macmillan. 978-3-030-26410-9. en.
  29. Book: Becoming an International Humanitarian Aid Worker. Reis. Chen. Bernath. Tania. 2016-10-16. Butterworth-Heinemann. 9780128043851.
  30. Book: Spencer, Tanya. Personal Security: A Guide for International Travelers. 2017-09-11. CRC Press. 9781466559455.
  31. Book: Schneiker, Andrea. Humanitarian NGOs, (In)Security and Identity: Epistemic Communities and Security Governance. 2016-03-09. Routledge. 9781317119531.
  32. Book: Fast, Larissa. Aid in Danger: The Perils and Promise of Humanitarianism. 2014-05-14. University of Pennsylvania Press. 9780812246032.
  33. Book: Steele, Jonathan. Ghosts of Afghanistan: The Haunted Battleground. 2011-10-01. Catapult. 9781582438405.
  34. Macpherson. Robert. Burkle. Frederick M.. April 2013. Neglect and Failures of Human Security in Humanitarian Settings: Challenges and Recommendations. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. 28. 2. 174–178. 10.1017/S1049023X13000022. 23351996. 206310430. 1049-023X.

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