Aid Worker Security Database

The Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD) is a project of the international research group Humanitarian Outcomes. Funded by USAID, it records major incidents, from 1997 to present, of attacks on humanitarian workers worldwide. As cited in the New York Times, "it is widely regarded as an authoritative reference for aid organisations and governments in assessing trends in security threats."[1] Since its inception in 2005 as the first fully comprehensive compilation of this data, the AWSD has been a source of quantitative evidence on matters related to the security of humanitarian operations in conflict, referenced in policy debates and cited in official United Nations statements,[2] United Nations General Assembly resolutions,[3] United Nations Security Council documents,[4] and reports of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.[5]

The data, which is openly available for searching and downloading, is regularly relied upon by other databases in the humanitarian crisis analysis community, such as ACLED.[6] It has also been cited in US Congressional and State Department documents[7] and UK Parliament reports,[8] as well as by major media outlets including: The Associated Press,[9] BBC News,[10] The New York Times,[11] Reuters,[12] The Economist,[13] Al Jazeera,[14] El Pais,[15] The Guardian,[16] The Irish Times,[17] La Figaro,[18] La Monde,[19] Scientific American,[20] Christian Science Monitor,[21] and National Public Radio.[22]

  1. ^ Gladstone, Rick (2014-08-18). "Attacks on Aid Workers Jump Worldwide, Group Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
  2. ^ O'Brien, Stephen (June 22, 2017). "United Nations Remarks at the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment High-Level Panel" (PDF). United Nations.
  3. ^ "Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 11 December 2017". United Nations General Assembly. January 15, 2018.
  4. ^ Grant, Mark Lyall (August 6, 2014). "Letter dated 5 August 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General". United Nations Security Council.
  5. ^ Report of the Secretary-General (September 24, 2018). "Safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel" (PDF). United Nations Secretary General.
  6. ^ Matfess, Hilary (2019-07-15). "New Data From Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD) Complements ACLED Reporting | Acled Data". Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  7. ^ Programs, United States Congress House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related (2014). State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations for 2015: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session. U.S. Government Printing Office.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Tackling violence against aid workers - International Development Committee - House of Commons". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  9. ^ "Red Cross says health and aid workers face unabated attacks". AP NEWS. 2019-04-01. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  10. ^ "'Leadership' needed from UK to protect aid workers". 2019-08-06. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  11. ^ Nordland, Rod (2019-05-13). "Taliban Target Aid Groups, in an Ominous Turn in Afghanistan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  12. ^ "Briton's death in Kenya adds to long list of aid worker killings". news.trust.org. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  13. ^ "In the firing line". The Economist. 2009-08-26. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  14. ^ "UN sounds alarm over killings of aid workers". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  15. ^ Agudo, Alejandra (2014-08-19). "La ayuda humanitaria pide socorro". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  16. ^ Jones, Sam (2014-08-18). "Deaths of humanitarian aid workers reach record high". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  17. ^ "Number of attacks on aid workers hits record level". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  18. ^ Bambuck, Maeva; Figaro, Service photo Service photo du (2014-03-21). "Les talibans frappent dans un hôtel de Kaboul". Le Figaro.fr (in French). Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  19. ^ "Niveau record d'attaques contre des travailleurs humanitaires" (in French). 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  20. ^ Gorman, Christine. "Getting Killed for Saving Lives". Scientific American Blog Network. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  21. ^ "Helpers in a hostile world: the risk of aid work grows". The Christian Science Monitor. 2012-02-10. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  22. ^ "In Their Own Words: Why Armed Fighters Attack Aid Workers". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-11-14.