24 June 2002

The security problems faced by United Nations and associated personnel around the world were the focus of the fifth annual Summit on Staff Security held this morning. The summit was organized and sponsored by the UN Staff Council Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service (CSIICS).

This year's theme, "The Forgotten staff", drew attention to the continuing problem of detained, abducted, missing and murdered staff; the status of local staff, which may be afforded less protection than international recruited staff; and the plight of staff returning from mission assignments.

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette told the Summit that, as the Secretary-General had stressed, a certain amount of risk came with being with the United Nations, but staff security was a fundamental responsibility, and he would do all in his power to provide staff with protection. So far this year, four staff members had lost their lives and two had been taken hostage.

In a step forward, she noted, the General Assembly had approved the Secretary-General's package of proposals, which would enable improved protection for staff. She asked Member States to fulfill their responsibility to protect staff, including by providing the requisite resources, bringing perpetrators to justice and ratifying the relevant treaties.

One speaker pointed out that staff security was increasingly being taken up by the Security Council. There is no doubt that FICSA’s historic meeting with the Security Council, in May 2001, was a major step forward in fuelling future intervention by the Council in staff security matters.

The Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Scope of Legal Protection under the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel stated that, in April, the Committee had considered the recommendations of the Secretary-General on measures to strengthen the legal regime for staff protection, as there had been serious deficiencies in the scope of the Convention’s legal coverage. At that meeting, everyone agreed that no effort should be spared in enhancing the protection of United Nations and associated personnel.

What role United Nations troops should play in protecting civilians was also raised as an issue that required further consideration. A speaker noted that the improvements mentioned would not have happened without the shock of 11 September; he stressed that it was important not to wait for worst-case scenarios in order to take action.

A panel discussion was held on substantive security issues. During that segment, two legal instruments relevant to the protection of United Nations staff i.e. the Convention on Privileges and Immunities and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court – were discussed. As the Deputy Secretary-General had noted, said a participant, it had always been true that there were certain risks associated with working for the United Nations mainly in the field, but also, sometimes, at Headquarters. Other speakers elaborated on efforts made within the legal context to resolve situations affecting staff.

In the area of mental health, it was noted that when staff felt secure, they were better able to provide services to those in need. The importance of pre-mission training, the need for security and support to be integrated at all stages of mission service and the provision of adequate resources were underlined. Adequate security and risk training, it was noted, should be a pre-condition for any staff going to high-risk areas. The higher the level of preparation and training, the lower the risk of a security-related disaster.

Maintaining open communication at all levels was essential, and the availability of psycho-social support and counseling could not be overemphasized. Field Service staff, noted one speaker, as a category, had the highest rates of divorce and alcohol abuse. It was important to tell staff what to expect before they arrived in a location. The Organization should not place its staff in situations of unnecessary risk.

During the question-and-answer session that followed, it was asked what kind of support and assistance was available to the family members of staff serving in the field. The United Nations was available to family members 24 hours a day, one speaker said. Another speaker stressed how important it was to communicate with staff family members and to provide other forms of support. Eligible dependents were part and parcel of security contingent planning, another speaker pointed out.

Moving to another point, the speaker said national staff members were included in all the training requirements and that there was not a gap between the way international and national staff were treated. In order to save life, the United Nations must "save the life of our own", the speaker added.

Responding to a question on efforts to address impunity, a speaker said the Security Coordinator's Office dealt with impunity through the Member States and the Office of Legal Affairs. The Assembly's text on security had approved the establishment of an investigation's unit within the Office of the United Nations Security Coordinator, another speaker said. Discussions on that unit were ongoing. When justice was not done, said another speaker, victims experienced it as a further transgression.

Accountability was seen by a representative as a missing link within the larger question of security. The General Assembly had requested the Secretary-General to address that issue, a speaker said, stressing that accountability was essential. The need to take a long-term perspective to trauma was also pointed out.