Policy Brief: Private security contracting in humanitarian operations | Humanitarian Policy Group

Flikr photo by bkzzang used under a Creative Commons license. There has been an upward trend in the use of armed security contractors by humanitarian aid organization working in conflict zones, particularly in Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq.  A recent survey found that at least 41 percent of the major humanitarian organizations have used armed protection in at least one of their operations.  The proliferation of private security firms has received a great deal of criticism for their lack of industry standards, particularly when it comes to the use of force.  While humanitarian aid organization have been discreet in their use of security contractors, they have also been hesitant to openly discuss the issue.  This paper, co-authored by Abby Stoddard, Adele Harmer, and Victoria DiDomenico, highlights the need for humanitarian aid organizations to develop a common framework for the use of private security contractors in conflict zones.