5 Reasons International NGOs Need an Emergency Assistance Plan
If we’ve learned anything over the past few years, it’s that emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. From natural disasters like earthquakes to political unrest to fast-moving infectious diseases, you never know where or when an emergency will strike. That’s true for all organizations, but for international NGOs, the threat of emergencies that could impact employees looms large. While we can’t prevent emergencies entirely, we can mitigate the risks to our staff by being prepared, which means having an emergency assistance plan in place.
Having an internal, written plan is integral to responding quickly in the face of an emergency, but we would be remiss if we did not also encourage you to work with an Assistance & Security provider to build a plan that works for your organization. When disaster strikes, having the pros on your side could mean the difference between life and death. A vendor to help you in the event of an emergency is not a replacement for having an internal plan; rather, the two go hand in hand to ensure international NGOs are providing their employees with the protection they deserve.
5 reasons you need an emergency assistance plan
Personal contacts aren’t always reliable in an emergency. Some organizations — especially small ones — rely on local contacts and partners to guide them in an emergency. Local research partners or vendors may be able to help in some cases, but it may be unethical to ask too much of them. It also isn’t a sustainable relationship, as that person may move on. Additionally, they may not have all the information needed to make the best decisions in the moment. For instance, I once worked with a study abroad program in Cameroon. Our main point of contact was a local professor who wanted to take our group of students to the country’s far north. I knew from our emergency assistance provider that Boko Haram was active in that area and it was considered unsafe, especially for Westerners. Just a week later, a French family was kidnapped in that area.
Having an emergency assistance plan is the right thing to do. Any organization that asks employees to travel — especially internationally — owes it to staff to have a plan in place. If you are asking your employees to travel globally on your behalf, you have a duty to protect them. Employees should be able to trust their organizations to support them in any emergency, including medical care, evacuation, family reunification, and more.
Emergency assistance plans offer financial protection. As you might imagine, emergency evacuations can be incredibly expensive — costing $100,000 or more. For international NGOs operating on a tight budget, that kind of money is not often immediately available. With these costs in mind, giving insurance for emergent medical needs and emergency evacuations may be critical to your organization’s long-term sustainability.
Global risks evolve quickly. After the past three years, we all know just how quickly unexpected emergencies can crop up. COVID-19 reminded the world that there are always unknown threats lurking on the horizon — and more recently, we’ve seen wildfires, uprisings, and other potential threats arise. While the average HR administrator at an international NGO does not have time to keep a finger on the pulse of international threats, there are plenty of professionals out there who are monitoring these situations all the time and often know about potential threats long before a government has said anything.
Diverse workforces have diverse needs. All organizations benefit from having a diverse workforce, but that’s especially true for international NGOs, where having a plethora of perspectives allows organizations to advance their missions faster. Having a diverse employee base requires you to think about DEI in every aspect of their employment, including when you ask them to travel. Your team will not only have a range of travel experiences but also different needs regarding their medical status, identity, or other factors. They will need guidance on risk mitigation based on individual identities, and you must be prepared to provide an equitable response, regardless of who the traveler is. And remember, emergencies can often be avoided with an ounce of prevention. I recall working with a traveler who had Crohn’s disease and was going to Japan, where that particular disease basically doesn’t exist. Knowing this ahead of time allowed the traveler to seek out a care provider in advance, avoiding a potential emergency down the road.
Shopping for an emergency assistance provider
We’ve found that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for emergency assistance, as each organization is unique. Therefore, it’s always wise to have an experienced consultant on your side when shopping for a Safety & Security solution. If you are determined to find a vendor on your own, ensure they work in your locations and have experience with your type of traveler or organization. An international NGO often has different needs than a university travel abroad program. (For that matter, students studying abroad in Australia will likely face different risks than those studying in Cameroon, so be sure to ask the right questions).
If you need help navigating the complexities of emergency assistance programs, feel free to reach out to our team and schedule a consultation.