Humanitarians face a multitude of safety and security risks while on deployment, but women can face specific challenges — from leading teams in male-dominated environments to dealing with menstruation in remote areas without proper provision to the threat of sexual violence.
Devex spoke to Sarah Robinson, project coordinator for MedAir's emergency response unit in South Sudan, and Maria Ferrante, a seasoned humanitarian specializing in refugee protection, to find out what life in the field is like and what advice they have for overcoming everyday challenges.
"When they [women] are leading the team or hiring people and basically telling men what to do … there is resistance in some cases and it can cause risk."
— Sarah Robinson, project coordinator for MedAir's emergency response unit in South Sudan
On being in the field: The conditions are far from comfortable but it's fulfilling work, Robinson said, whose team of 45 travel around South Sudan working on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, and emergency shelter. They often have just a few days to respond to an alert before they are on the ground so, while they do all they can to assess the situation, at times it can be a "bit of a black hole." It's vital, therefore, to have strong relationships with local organizations and be able to collaborate with them, she said.
Continue reading about
being a woman humanitarian worker in the field, including dealing with attitudes, burnout and boredom.
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