The global humanitarian and development sectors are facing rising operational risks alongside shrinking financial resources. According to the 2024 Aid Worker Security Database report, 2023 was the most fatal year on record for aid workers, with 280 deaths across 33 countries. At the same time, major donors, including the USA, the UK, Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland, are reducing their foreign aid budgets, threatening the continuity of life-saving programs, as well as the safety and well-being of the staff delivering them.
DevelopmentAid, in collaboration with International Location Safety (ILS), invites you to a critical webinar exploring how organizations can navigate these dual challenges. This 60-minute session will bring together leaders in humanitarian security and policy to shape innovative, cost-effective strategies that promote staff safety and well-being amid financial strain.
Invitation to a Webinar
DevelopmentAid, in collaboration with International Location Safety (ILS), invites you to attend the webinar “Escalating Risks x Decreasing Budgets: Collaborative, Cost-Effective Innovations for Staff Safety and Care”. The webinar will take place on 17 July 2025 at 3 pm (Brussels)/9 am (Washington, DC).
Key takeaways
- The impact of donor budget cuts on staff safety and operational resilience
- Innovative and collaborative approaches to humanitarian security risk management
- How capacity-sharing, cross-sector coordination, and digital training tools can sustain staff care amid crisis
- Practical insights from leading organizations, networks, and institutions responding to the growing security challenges
Speakers
Beth Chapman – Director of Risk Advisory at International Location Safety Limited, is a seasoned security and risk management expert with over 15 years’ experience designing and implementing risk frameworks for INGOs and global institutions across complex environments.
Jon Novakovic – Executive Director at Global Interagency Security Forum (GISF), brings nearly a decade of hands-on security risk management experience in the aid sector, with a background in both government and international NGOs.
Lotti Douglas – Humanitarian Adviser and Policy Lead on Access at UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), is a humanitarian advisor with extensive field and policy experience, including senior roles in Iraq, Afghanistan, and global advisory positions with INGOs, the UN, and the World Bank.
Steve Gordon – Senior Director of Global Security at MercyCorps, transitioned from conflict photography to NGO security leadership, bringing deep field experience from conflict zones including Syria, Yemen, and East Africa.
Host
Elizaveta Gładun, External Relations & Events Coordinator at DevelopmentAid
