Risk and Humanitarian Culture: An ICVA briefing paper

The presence of risk will always be a central part of the humanitarian space. While risk awareness often is clearly embedded in humanitarian work, risk management is not. In turn, the responsibility to people in need is clear in the humanitarian culture, but the implications of this responsibility on the operations of humanitarian organizations are not always understood. This gap constitutes a weakness in the effective management of risks as well as a core challenge to a more disciplined approach to risk management in humanitarian work. 

This paper defines key concepts and discusses how the culture of risk management can be embedded in humanitarian work. It highlights core risk areas and provides recommendations for humanitarian organizations operating in challenging contexts.