Kidnapping is top threat for humanitarian workers

This is one of the findings of the Aid Worker Security Report 2013, published by Humanitarian Outcomes, a team of independent consultants specialised in research and policy advice for humanitarian aid agencies and donor governments.

“In 2012, there were 167 incidents of major violence against aid workers in 19 countries,” states the report. “These attacks resulted in 274 aid workers killed, kidnapped, or seriously wounded.” These figures mean the rate of attacks – that is, the number of victims relative to the estimated total number of aid workers – is growing.

Top amongst the different types of attacks faced by aid workers is kidnapping. “Aid worker kidnappings have quadrupled over the past decade,” notes the report. “Since 2009, more aid workers have been victims of kidnapping than of any other form of attack.”

Its relatively low cost compared with its potential political impact and financial gains makes kidnapping a very efficient tactic for criminals and militants. Therefore, according to the report authors, it is a risk “unlikely to abate in the near future”.

The authors of the Aid Worker Security Report 2013 acknowledge that “aid organisations have invested considerable resources in managing the response to kidnappings”. However, they “have not adequately addressed the threat itself”.

The report concludes with a series of recommendations focused on road security, communications and learning as well as negotiation.