Adaptations and promising new diplomatic activity.

 

Amid the funding cuts, humanitarian organisations have pursued a range of adaptations to sustain operations and manage security risks with fewer resources. Some changes were already under consideration before the funding crisis, but the urgency of the current environment has accelerated their adoption. The merging of security and access departments – previously viewed as distinct functions – is becoming more common, with security specialists now expected to engage directly in negotiations and outreach. Interviewees noted that security risk management has always involved elements of access facilitation, but the current shift offers an opportunity to operationalise the access role and better integrate it with day-to-day security functions. Resource pooling and co-location are emerging as practical cost-saving measures. In Burkina Faso, an organisation that could no longer maintain its offices offered space to others, resulting in several organisations now sharing the same building. Similar arrangements are taking place at both capital and local office levels, with organisations sharing floors, pooling administrative functions, and collaborating on security analysis. In contexts where organisations have lost security staff positions, mutual support arrangements enable the continued production of joint risk assessments and recommendations, even without dedicated funding. These measures are not without strain – staff reductions mean fewer people must manage the same workload – but interviewees note that they have fostered a sense of humanitarian solidarity in several settings.

In another response to the defunding crisis, some organisations are seeking technological solutions to augment and make the most of limited human resources. As one source explained, “Although we started doing this before the funding crisis hit, it provided more impetus for the digitisation in security – to make processes more efficient.” Measures include integrating AI tools for quality control, such as incident verification, as well generating pre-drafted reports, thereby freeing managers to focus on higher-priority tasks. While AI may play an important role in maintaining effectiveness with fewer resources, some security managers are also worried that it could also accelerate de-skilling and lead to further staff reductions. The defunding crisis has also highlighted the need for a more strategic approach to the online information environment. For years aid agencies have treated social media primarily as a fundraising and public relations tool, not as a contested space essential to defending humanitarian principles and acceptance. As one interviewee observed, “We did not see the monster coming” in the form of hostile narratives and disinformation campaigns. Social media monitoring and proactive, principled engagement – framed as a collective responsibility rather than a competitive pursuit – are now increasingly recognised as essential to protecting the humanitarian space. At the same time, new diplomatic engagement and initiatives on aid worker protection were advancing in 2024. A small but active group of UN Member States is moving beyond expressions of concern to press for concrete accountability measures. Security Council Resolution 2730 (2024) urges Member States to conduct independent, prompt, and effective investigations into violations against humanitarian and UN personnel, prosecute those responsible, and cooperate with relevant courts and tribunals, with the aim of reinforcing prevention, ensuring accountability, and addressing victims’ grievances. Additionally, Australia is preparing a Joint Ministerial Declaration to consolidate political will and coordinate action among like-minded governments, signalling a willingness to act collectively in defence of humanitarian norms.12 While such initiatives cannot by themselves reverse the current trajectory, they offer a potential platform for sustained political pressure, and for translating rhetorical support into tangible protections.