ILS Duty of Care Pavilion and Conference

The ILS Duty of Care Pavilion offers security managers, HR leaders, programming and operational staff a dedicated space to come together and discuss the challenges, solutions and the future of meeting integrated duty of care obligations and effectively supporting staff to work in challenging environments.

The ILS Duty of Care pavilion considers topics such as safety and security, safeguarding/PSEA, wellbeing, cyber risk, travel and more. The structure involves:

• An exhibition area; featuring exhibits from leading duty of care suppliers, coordinating bodies and service providers to the sector
• ILS will also host a collaborative networking and peer support space, providing access to thought leaders and consultants who are pushing forward the duty of care agenda in the sector
• A large conference space jointly curated by ILS. This ‘conference within a conference’ offers a thought-provoking, educational and inspiring agenda of discussion panels, workshops and case studies devoted to the sharing of knowledge, experience and good practice

10:00-10:15	Keynote - Delivering in Conflict: At what cost?
10:20-11:15	Has it ever been this dangerous to be an aid worker? 2023 presented many challenges for the aid and development sector with multiple concurrent humanitarian crises demanding a response. Looking back at the year, what did we learn about our ability to deliver effective responses in a safe and sustainable manner?
11:25-12:15	Lessons from "Protect Aid Workers": Providing Rapid Support to Aid Workers at Risk Protect Aid Workers is a new initiative that supports humanitarian workers of national and international NGOs across the Middle East that have experienced a critical incident. The session will examine some prominent lessons and present preliminary learnings from the project.
12:25-13:15	Insuring the uninsurable: Navigating Coverage in Conflict Zones Accessing appropriate and affordable insurance in conflict effected contexts can be challenging. In this masterclass, we will look at some case studies from ongoing crises in Ukraine and Sudan.
13:15-13:45	Lunch
13:45-14:40	Safeguarding in Action: Creating Contextually Appropriate Approaches A review of the safeguarding considerations, challenges and best practices when working in partnership and in different global context.
14:50-15:50	Psychological Safety in Conflict Zones: A Cultural and Trauma Informed Approach A discussion on the effects of stress, trauma, and cultural dynamics on mental health and problem-solving abilities and how psychological safety is critical to destigmatising psychosocial support. The session will highlight the importance of understanding trauma and integrating this knowledge into practices and policies to promote resilience and recovery in a contextually relevant manner.
16:00-17:15	Crisis Management Workshop The ability to effectively manage a crisis or a critical incident is central to any international organisation’s duty of care. In the age of rolling news and widespread social media adoption, it is especially important. Join the ILS team to experience a crisis management simulation, understand the complexities and challenges of supporting staff and their families, and protecting your organisation during times of extreme stress and confusion.

 

10:00-10:55	AI in Humanitarian Aid: Boosting Impact, Navigating Risks As the power and application of artificial intelligence accelerates, this panel session with subject matter experts will examine where automation can support, and hinder, risk management operations.
11:10-12:25	Mock Court Room: Cross Examination Following Day 1's Crisis Management workshop, Proelium Law LLP will perform a mock cross examination of a witness in a case that arises following a claim for negligence emerging from the scenario. The cross examination will be designed to demonstrate the pressures of giving evidence, highlight how discrepancies in processes, recall of incidents and an approach to duty of care can be exposed in legal proceedings.
12:40-13:10	Policy in Action: Security Risk Management as a Strategic Enabler for Humanitarian Organisations This session will unpack key learnings from an upcoming Strategy and Policy resource developed by GISF in collaboration with ILS offering organisations practical pathways to integrate security risk management (SRM) seamlessly into their strategic planning processes and goals. This session will examine key approaches and tools that can be leveraged to impact and support broader organisational strategies, policies and functions.
13:10-13:30	Lunch
13:30-14:25	Adapting for the future: Skills, Tools and Technologies in Conflict Affected Contexts Considering shifting landscapes and intensified crises, how can technologies support staff capacity and energise or supplement humanitarians without creating more risk, exposure, bias and manipulation. Join a panel curated and developed by World Vision International and panellists as they discuss the future of duty of care through the lens of adaptive skills, tools and technologies.
14:40-15:30	Queering Duty of Care: Applying an LGBTQ+ lens to risk management Queer communities have faced unique challenges across geographies, prompting the necessary development of participatory, inclusive and innovative solutions to complex problems. Join our panel of practitioners as we engage lessons learned, best practices and pathways forward as we apply a queer lens to risk management and duty of care.
15:45-16:15	Closing remarks