r/humanitarian • u/NoLawfulness646 • Nov 14 '24

Working In Conflict Zones as NGO/Academic

I am going to assume that when you are working in a conflict or hazard country for an NGO or doing academic field research, your ass is in that compound and does not leave. I imagine it is not a chance to see/experience a country. Would I be correct in that?

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u/OctopusGoesSquish Nov 14 '24

Not really correct but it does depend on both the NGO and the conflict zone in question.

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u/NoLawfulness646 Nov 14 '24

Ok! I am a prospective PhD candidate doing research in Human Rights. For university funded academic travel, they will obviously have lodging and contacts put in place beforehand. Would I be completely restricted to compound or designated places? Sorry if I sound like a total moron.

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u/OctopusGoesSquish Nov 15 '24

I can’t really speak to academia as my experience is humanitarian. From an objective safety standpoint, it really depends on what conflict. A “traditional” conflict with a clearly delineated front line may be reasonably safe once out of artillery range. In other contexts, principles of humanitarian deconfliction may provide some security. For places with high kidnapping threat, leaving the compound would be solely on occasions where it is necessary to conduct field work.

If it’s university funded, it likely depends entirely on the policy of your institution. Casting my mind way back, I recall that my alma matter did not allow any research trips to countries with “do not travel” advisories issued by the UK government.

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u/ZiKyooc Nov 15 '24

Ask the university about their restrictions. If you are hosted by another organization, ask them what their security rules are.

In my experience, the countries where there are targeted risks towards (some) foreigners will have the most restrictive rules.

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u/SgtRevo Nov 15 '24

It depends on the location.

I’ve been to conflict zones where there was a curfew, but you could still move around relatively freely. There were days when you were stuck inside, of course, but even in war, life goes on. You might hear bombing in the background while people haggle in the market.

Other places are much tougher. I’m in one right now—fully surrounded by blast windows, unable to just step outside, and every movement is meticulously checked right up to the last five minutes.

But yes, don’t expect to move around like in the movies. Most of the time, you will hear, smell and see the effects of war, but you won’t be combat that quickly

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u/HumanitarianCafe Nov 16 '24

I am assuming you are pretty new in the humanitarian sector. Welcome!

My suggestion is to never underestimate security. Never lower your guard. And most of all, don’t listen to those saying that everything is fine and they don’t understand the security rules of big organizations. Security rules are like a travel insurance, for most of your life it is probably just annoying to pay it, but you don’t want to be without the moment you need it.

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u/saltatrices Nov 14 '24

No. I've been to six conflict/"fragile" zones, working for an NGO AND doing field research, and I've never had the "privilege" of living/staying in a compound. I don't know what it's like for others, but in my experience, those compounds are reserved for diplomats and their families. In some cases, ironically enough, it's safer to not stay in the compound or really, any large Western-affiliated hotel chain.

Having said that, traveling/seeing/experiencing the country is something that's done very cautiously and really only if you can blend in.

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u/NoLawfulness646 Nov 15 '24

What do you mean by very cautiously and blend in? Like that’s company policy or?

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u/saltatrices Nov 15 '24

Generally speaking, organizations (both universities and NGOs) are a bit more lax if the person in question is from the area and/or has past experience there. In my case for some of the places, I was able to travel freely because I 1) spoke the language, 2) looked like a local, and 3) traveled with locals in their personal vehicles. If I was very obviously not from there, I would've been far more restricted in my movements throughout the countries.

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u/EasterAegon Nov 15 '24

Depends on the conflict zone, really. Can be very much like it. Can be very different also.

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u/jcravens42 Nov 15 '24

It depends. I have been in a hardship station where I was not allowed to walk alone on a street, I've been in another where I walked home from work. I've never done field work where I didn't "see/experience a country."