FOOD SECURITY & LIVELIHOODS PROGRAMS TIPS FOR PROTECTION MAINSTREAMING

Food, cash, vouchers or livestock interventions may make people more vulnerable to certain protection problems, such as attacks.

The ownership or management of these types of assets, which may be particularly valuable in an emergency, may place people at greater risk of violence, abduction or abuse.

Analysis of the local security environment including in relation to ownership patterns, recent history of looting or raiding, husbandry practices and the need to access livestock services or markets is necessary to identify high risk practices and activities.

Beneficiaries may face problems at distribution sites, particularly withtheft, intimidation and
extortion. The environment in which assistance is provided must be safe for all the people concerned.

Beneficiaries may face problems, particularly with sexual assault and robbery including at official or unofficial checkpoints while travelling to and from a distribution point. The environment through which beneficiaries must travel must be safe for all the people concerned. If safety is a problem FSC members will need to make a special effort to move the point of delivery close to a beneficiary’s homeor provide transport to ensure safety.

Food security and related responses should aim to reduce the threats against the affected population. Responses must not inadvertently empower or strengthen the position of armed groups or other undesirable actors. The vulnerability of beneficiaries beyond food insecurity and their available coping mechanisms and other capacities all need to be taken into consideration.

Consideration must be given to whether items like cash or vouchers can be used for anti-social purposes, for example, the purchase of small arms or alcohol, tobacco or drugsthat can be abused that may result in an increase in domestic violence. Cash may increase risks of corrupt diversion or seizure by armed groups and may expose beneficiaries to security risks.