UNDSS+Newsletter+2016+October

UNDSS
YOUR SAFETY, YOUR SECURITY, OUR PRIORITY
Delivery
Pakistan
UNDSS Pakistan: Making a difference in Safety and Security for Women
In July 2015, Lorna Wilson Morgan and Maryam Siyal were appointed as Women Security Focal
Points (WSFPs) for Pakistan. They quickly identified many ways they could help and support
female colleagues, starting simply by reaching out to them and building trust, confidentiality,
and respect through dialogue along the way.
Since the start of 2016, they have conducted two Women Security Awareness training (WSAT)
courses and disseminated information pertinent to the safety and security of female personnel.
They are pleased to report increased levels of contact from staff, who get in touch to report
incidents affecting female personnel, as well as an increase of those seeking advice for relatives
of staff encountering acts which threatened their safety and security, all of which is kept in the
strictest confidence.
Their work is grounded in a strong policy framework, most notably the policy on Gender
Considerations in Security Management, Annex A: Immediate Response to Gender-based
Security Incidents.
Jamaica
Active Shooter Training
Active shooter incidents are being reported around the world, and are rapidly becoming the top
threat scenario in many countries. The availability of small arms and light weapons along with
the relative accessibility of populated areas has led to an increase in both the frequency of violent
incidents and the number of victims killed or injured in each incident.
UNDSS Jamaica conducted its first Active Shooter training recently with the participation of
52 UN personnel, other international organizations, and guests from the Japanese, Colombian,
and U.S. Embassies. The training went beyond purely practical exercises, striving also to provide
insights on the motivations that lead people to engage in actions that will result in the loss of
human lives, including their own.
The session aimed to change inaccurate perceptions and participants actively engaged in group
discussions and exercises on profiling the drivers, triggers, and recognizing signs of potential
violent behaviour at different scenarios. The course included recognizing sounds of gun shots,
best practices on how to respond, what to do when law enforcement arrives, and how to cope
with post-stress incident.
Vienna
UNOV SSS Conducts Major Evacuation Exercise in Vienna International Centre
At 09:48 AM on Wednesday 3 August, Chief O’Hanlon gave the order: “Attention,
all personnel are to immediately evacuate the Vienna International Centre”. As
alarms and speakers rang loudly, all available security officers, medical personnel,
and wardens rushed to their positions. While only an exercise, the unseen planning
and limited forewarning of the event added to its realism. Some 3000 personnel
calmly left their workspaces and conference rooms, making their way to designated
assembly points. The entire exercise was completed within 90 minutes, with
minimal disruption to client services. Managers, supervisors, and representatives of
the Vienna Emergency Services joined a debriefing after the event to draw lessons
learned.
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