Borderless 2017 - UK Conference on mitigating risks for aid workers

Aid workers are increasingly vulnerable. 2013 was the worst year ever, with over 474 relief workers suffering serious attack (reliefweb.int). Given the increase in the number of humanitarian workers currently deployed, the unstable political and environmental conditions they work in, and the erosion of the perception of neutrality and independence, this issue is cause for serious concern.

Borderless 2017, on Thursday, February 16 at Harrogate International Centre, is the first conference of its kind in the UK to address the welfare of volunteers and aid workers. A programme of workshops and presentations will address a wide range of issues facing the sector, from kidnapping to natural disasters, with a keynote speech from Professor Anthony Redmond OBE, Founder of UK Med and Co Founder of the Humanitarian & Conflict Response Institute. Also speaking is Steve Dennis, who in 2012 was shot and kidnapped while working for the Norwegian Refugee Council; he later sued and won a case against them which sent shockwaves through the sector.

Event chair Dr Jonathan O’Keeffe, Regional Medical Director, International SOS says ‘NGO and Humanitarian workers are disproportionately caught up in health and security incidents abroad. We need to apply the principals of travel risk management, conduct proper risk assessments and prepare aid workers to face the challenges of working in unstable environments. Volunteering or working for an aid organization should not mean sacrificing one’s health and safety to look after others.’

The conference is organised by travel risk mitigation experts PEAR Insights, publisher of PEAR Insights magazine. Registration is free for NGOs, charities, international development organisations and press, with a fee for corporates. Over 150 delegates from 50 organisations have already pledged to attend.
Full conference details and a registration form are available at www.borderless2017.co.uk/register

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Notes for Editors

Press Invite:
We would be delighted if you would to attend Borderless 2017, on Thursday, February 16 at Harrogate International Centre. Please RSVP ben@mcmillancooper.com

About our company:
PEAR Insights’ aim is to inspire organisations to share expertise on travel risk mitigation. Our motivations are simple – by bringing people together and catalysing discussion, we help people understand the nature of travel risk at all levels. CEO of PEAR and Borderless Events Ben Cooper is a key person of influence in the travel risk mitigation industry.
Ben Cooper and Dr Jonathan O’Keefe are available for interview.

To download a copy of PEAR Insights Magazine, please visit www.pear-insights.com

For more details please contact ben@mcmillancooper.com or call +44 7730478335