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In this years Aid Worker security report we focused on risks to humanitarian health workers https://www.humanitarianoutcomes.org/sites/default/files/publications/awsr2020_0.pdf Things that struck me doing the research were that this is a broader agenda than the high profile attacks on health facilities in conflicts. @AWSDatabase Thread.
High profile attacks understandably generate the most attention ( https://www.msf.org.uk/article/kabul-hospital-attack-they-came-kill-mothers ) and are the focus of important campaigns and advocacy ( https://healthcareindanger.org/ )
But other forms of violence against health workers are less high profile but also important. Globally, WHO estimates that between 8 per cent and 38 per cent of health workers suffer physical violence at some point in their careers. https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/28-04-2020-who-calls-for-healthy-safe-and-decent-working-conditions-for-all-health-workers-amidst-covid-19-pandemic
And in the US health care workers have a 20% higher chance of being the victim of workplace violence than other workers. https://www.jointcommission.org/-/media/tjc/documents/resources/patient-safety-topics/sentinel-event/sea_59_workplace_violence_4_13_18_final.pdf
Violence by patients (particularly those with mental health conditions), and affiliated third parties is common but much less studied in conflict, post conflict and fragile settings https://www.elrha.org/wp-content/themes/elrha/pdf/elrha-and-icrc-violence-against-health-care-full-report-010720-digital.pdf
Violence relating to community fears and concerns around disease was important in the DRC Ebola outbreak. I started expecting to hear about issues relating to misinformation & rumour. Those were a factor but there were also well founded concerns about militarisation & corruption
So countering violence related to outbreaks is as much about perceptions as misperceptions and requires listening not lecturing and engagement that is 2-way & results in changes in approach not just communicating louder.
Looking at health worker violence across all types and cases of violence, shows a wider range of threats & perpetrators that aid agencies need to be alert to than is the conventional focus. Mitigation strategies need to engage more with AAP and community engagement processes.
For humanitarian security and health programme managers there may be scope to learn from workplace reduction initiatives in other settings - see for example - https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3148.pdf
There was all sorts of good engagement work going on in the Ebola response in DRC - see for example @akfairba in her article in @hpn_hpg here https://odihpn.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/HE-77-web.pdf
And the work being done by CASS - https://www.unicef.org/drcongo/media/4131/file/CASS-Brief3-recommendations.pdf ( @simone_tweets ) But in interviews it was clear that this was in parallel with security management processes and not as connected with them as it could have been
Our @HumOutcomes report is here - https://www.humanitarianoutcomes.org/sites/default/files/publications/awsr2020_0.pdf
People to follow how know much more about all of these issues that I do include @MPolkowskiHCiD @akfairba @AbbyStoddard @simone_tweets and of course all the humanitarian health workers taking risks to save lives around the world.
