New research to increase safety of humanitarian workers worldwide | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › New research to increase safety of humanitarian workers worldwide New research to increase safety of humanitarian workers worldwide Published: March 12, 2012 Author: Joan Fallon Hundreds of thousands of people around the world work for humanitarian organizations devoted to the sick and injured, refugees and victims of wars and disasters. In recent years, this work has become even more dangerous, as growing numbers of humanitarian workers have been attacked, kidnapped or killed, according to Larissa Fast, assistant professor of conflict resolution at the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and Department of Sociology. Fast spent a portion of her sabbatical year (2010-11) as part of a team of scholars and practitioners conducting research, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, to document more effective and innovative approaches to security management for relief and development workers. The project involved consultative workshops in Washington, D.C., and Geneva, Switzerland, as well as fieldwork and training of staff of nongovernmental organizations from Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda. Based on this research, Fast co-authored, edited or contributed to seven new reports on ways to increase the safety and security of people who work for organizations such as Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, Oxfam, Save the Children and thousands of smaller relief and development organizations worldwide. All of the new reports and toolkits are all available as PDF documents on the Acceptance Research blog. The “acceptance” approach to security is based on the premise that threats can be reduced if an agency’s staff develops good working relationships with local people, says Fast. Some of the research findings will be published as “In acceptance we trust” in Disasters, a leading journal in humanitarian studies. Fast is a scholar-practitioner who has worked for several international organizations, primarily in North America and Africa. Her research focuses on violence against aid workers, humanitarian politics, development and conflict, evaluation and peacebuilding. She has worked for several international organizations, primarily in North America and Africa, as a project manager, consultant and trainer. Fast recently completed a book manuscript, “Aid in Danger,” which focuses on the causes of and responses to violence against aid workers. Contact: Larissa Fast, 574-631-7096, lfast@nd.edu Posted In: International Research Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related September 29, 2022 Notre Dame, Ukrainian Catholic University launch three new research grants September 27, 2022 Notre Dame, Trinity College Dublin engineers join to advance novel treatment for cystic fibrosis September 12, 2022 Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street … in different countries? June 01, 2022 University of Notre Dame to establish consortium of Catholic universities to study Muslim-Christian relations May 03, 2022 Pulte Institute launches Central America Research Alliance For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn