Independent advice and practical support for humanitarian, human rights and international organisations navigating security risk, operational challenges and crisis.
Make sound decisions in difficult environments, strengthen security systems without unnecessary bureaucracy, and enable teams to deliver programmes safely and responsibly.
Assignments can range from a focused review or workshop to ongoing advisory support. The emphasis is on proportionate, usable solutions that help people operate — not security processes for their own sake.
Review, design and strengthening of security frameworks for organisations working across complex or high-risk environments.
Senior operational judgement for programmes where access, security, organisational priorities and field realities intersect.
Practical preparation before an incident and experienced support when an organisation is managing a serious event.
Learning designed for real decision-making: clear, participatory and grounded in the situations staff and leaders actually face.
Humanitarian Security provides independent advisory support in security, field operations, crisis management and organisational risk. The work is grounded in more than 25 years of humanitarian and international experience, spanning front-line contexts, field leadership and global headquarters.
Our approach combines practical operational judgement with experience in security leadership, policy and standards, crisis management, training and field support. The emphasis is on proportionate, usable solutions that help organisations manage risk while continuing to deliver.
Founded and led by Julian Harris, Principal Consultant.
Our principles reflect how we approach security, operations, technology and organisational responsibility.
The purpose is not to eliminate all risk; it is to help organisations understand it, make informed choices and deliver responsibly.
Policies and processes only matter if people can apply them in the real world, including when time and information are limited.
Acceptance, relationships, credibility and honest communication are often as important as technical measures.
There is no universal template for complex environments. Advice should fit the organisation, the programme and the people involved.
We aim to keep this website lightweight, privacy-conscious and resource-efficient. It is hosted in Switzerland by Infomaniak, whose infrastructure uses renewable electricity and emphasises energy efficiency and heat recovery.
We work with humanitarian organisations, human-rights actors and international institutions operating amid insecurity, political pressure, access constraints or rapidly changing risk.
NGOs, Red Cross and Red Crescent actors, international agencies and operational partners.
Organisations supporting defenders, activists and civil-society actors exposed to repression or targeted threats.
Institutions needing experienced advice on security governance, field operations, crisis preparedness and duty of care.
Start with the mission, people, context and constraints before recommending structures or controls.
Focus effort where it changes decisions or materially reduces risk, rather than adding process by default.
Security works best when managers and staff understand their role and security specialists help them succeed.
“The strongest security systems are the ones that help people make better decisions — especially when the situation is uncertain.”
Independent advisory services for NGOs, humanitarian agencies, human-rights organisations and other international actors.
Whether you need a security framework reviewed, support for a difficult operating context, an experienced facilitator, or short-term senior advisory capacity, get in touch to discuss what would be useful.