Enhancing Security for National Aid Workers: WTI's Approach in South Sudan
On 5 June 2024, The New Humanitarian published an article highlighting the critical security risks faced by national aid workers in South Sudan. These concerns are both valid and urgent, demanding the attention of all humanitarian organisations in the region. At Windle Trust International, we recognise these challenges and believe that sharing and implementing best practices is essential to improving the safety of national staff.
The article emphasises the need for better representation of national workers in leadership roles, addressing local employment tensions, and the importance of effective monitoring systems. These are areas where Windle Trust International (WTI) has been particularly proactive, and we are eager to share our approach and the measures we have implemented to safeguard our staff.
Windle Trust International staff work in the heart of communities, prioritising the employment of local staff to ensure community relations are smooth, effective, and safe
Empowering Local Leadership
One of the key points raised in the article is the underrepresentation of national staff in leadership positions. At WTI, we have actively addressed this by placing experienced South Sudanese professionals in key leadership roles. Our South Sudan Senior Management Team includes the Country Director, Deputy Country Director, Safety and Security Manager, Procurement Manager, Head of Finance, and HR Manager—all of whom are South Sudanese. This group is responsible for the actions taken on the ground. Across the organisation as a whole, two of the five members of the organisational Senior Management Team, representing each of the countries we work in, are South Sudanese. This approach not only leverages local expertise but also strengthens our organisational resilience and community trust.
Prioritising Local Employment
As part of a WTI localisation drive we make a conscious effort to employ local staff within their own regions, states, counties and payam, minimising the tensions that can arise from bringing in non-local workers. This practice ensures that our programmes are culturally relevant and sensitive to the local context, thereby enhancing both security and effectiveness. In Unity State for example, where WTI is a state Anchor for the Girls Education South Sudan (GESS2) programme funded by UKAID, all our school officers are local staff and are based in the counties and part of the community. This has helped WTI handle its operations even during difficult moments as the staff move together with the population to safer areas and continue with the work once they are settled. When aid workers in Torit, Eastern Equatoria were evacuated following targeting by a local Youth Association in 2023 due to misrepresentation in employment by aid agencies, WTI’s local recruitment practices ensured that we were not part of the crackdown and that our staff and teams were safe within local communities.
Proactive Monitoring Systems
While the article discusses the need for effective monitoring systems, WTI has taken this a step further by utilising the Sherpa monitoring system designed by Trubshaw Cumberlege as part of the GESS2 programme. The Sherpa system is a comprehensive security monitoring and management tool that provides real-time security insights. It helps in tracking incidents, assessing risk levels, and coordinating responses. WTI’s use of this system has consistently resulted in high ratings for duty of care, demonstrating our commitment to the safety of our staff. Recognising its effectiveness, WTI is actively looking to implement the Sherpa system organisation-wide and has pledged to include it in all future donor proposals. By leveraging Sherpa, we can quickly identify and respond to security threats, ensuring our staff are well-protected.
Besides Sherpa, our Safety and Security Manager visits all field offices on quarterly basis to conduct physical monitoring, risk assessments, risk awareness training and other staff security training. This visit helps in updating our South Sudan risk register so that if there are emerging risks, new mitigations can be employed. Similarly, if the existing mitigations no longer fit, then other options can be explored.
In South Sudan, it's crucial to focus on WTI’s National Aid Worker’s safety to protect people and promote peace amid ongoing conflicts and instability
Managing Localised Risks
In South Sudan, many national aid workers have fallen victim to communal violence and political conflicts. This often happens to those not adequately briefed on security protocols. At WTI, we ensure that staff are fully informed upon signing their contracts that their role is strictly humanitarian. They are clearly instructed not to engage in any community activities related to violence or politics. Some communities mobilise and arm young people for protection or raids, a practice from which WTI staff are explicitly directed to distance themselves to ensure their safety. Other common risks in South Sudan are road ambushes, revenge attacks, communal violence and cattle raiding; especially when travelling. To mitigate this, our Safety and Security Manager clears all movement of staff from one location to another, meaning staff can only travel when the status of the road and their destinations are known and confirmed safe.
Continuous Security Updates and Engagement
Our Safety and Security Manager is actively involved in weekly and monthly security meetings and receives daily updates from partners, including the Deputy Operations Manager at USAID. These updates are disseminated promptly through our WhatsApp forum and discussed in weekly staff meetings, ensuring that all staff members are informed and prepared to handle security incidents effectively. He also maintains close contacts with government security agencies both in the states and the capital in order to receive up to date information. On receiving updates from our partners, the Safety and Security Manager sends the updates for verification in our field offices where team leaders give their feedback. Newly employed staff are briefed on the common risks associated with the area of their employment and how they can mitigate them.
Close Partnerships with Local Actors
WTI also works in close partnership with local actors, including local NGOs, government ministries, and state education ministries. By collaborating with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) and other state education ministries, we ensure our programmes are aligned with national priorities and benefit from local insights and support. These partnerships are crucial in fostering a secure environment and enhancing the impact of our initiatives.
WTI Country Director (left) and Safety and Security Manager (right) are both South Sudanese natives and actively involved in ensuring the safety of their team on a daily basis.
What More Should WTI Do
While WTI has made significant strides in ensuring the safety of our national staff, there is always more to be done. We are committed to continuously evaluating and improving our security measures. This includes:
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Providing regular and comprehensive security training for all staff to ensure they are prepared for any situation.
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Strengthening our partnerships with other NGOs and international organisations to share best practices and resources.
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Ensuring adequate funding and resources are allocated for security measures, particularly in high-risk areas.
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Implementing robust feedback mechanisms to continually gather input from staff on the ground, ensuring that their concerns and suggestions are heard and acted upon.
The concerns raised by The New Humanitarian are crucial and must be addressed by all organisations operating in South Sudan. At WTI, we are committed to implementing and sharing best practices to ensure the safety and security of our national staff. By empowering local leadership, prioritising local employment, utilising robust monitoring systems, maintaining continuous security updates, and working closely with local partners, we strive to create a secure and supportive working environment. We hope that by sharing our approach, we can contribute to a broader conversation on improving the safety of aid workers across the region.
By Peter Manut Aguek, WTI Safety and Security Manager - Manut is the Safety and Security Manager at WTI with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology, specialising in humanitarian security. He combines his security expertise with a passion for education, demonstrated by his Diploma in Education and experience teaching English in conflict-affected regions of South Sudan..