Global | DSS
Your safety. Your security. Our priority. With these words, UNDSS pledges to do their utmost to protect our Organization’s ability to “stay and deliver” on its mandates and, to fulfill its duty of care to each of you.
You may know safety and security colleagues at your duty station, but did you know that the Secretariat’s safety and security personnel number over 6,000 worldwide, financed through seven different budget sources? Did you know that they serve in 123 Countries 14 DPA, 16 DPKO Missions, four DFS missions and service centers, OHCHR, UNHQ, four Offices Away from HQ and four Regional Commissions? They not only perform a full range of regular security duties – like close protection and guarding our premises but also behind the scenes such as risk assessments, hostage negotiation, and critical incident stress counseling.
When UNDSS was created in 2004, the General Assembly sought to entrust one entity, UNDSS, with the authority and accountability for the safety and security of our Organization, its staff, its assets and operations. Over the past decade, the security threats facing our Organization have changed significantly requiring a more flexible, pro-active and responsive UNDSS. To face these challenges, the Secretary-General’s Policy Committee saw the need to realize this initial General Assembly vision with the consolidation of the Secretariat’s safety and security resources, leading to the launch of the United Nations Secretariat Safety and Security Project (UNSSSIP) in August 2015.
This integration will enable UNDSS to place the right staff in the right place at the right time with the right experience and skills to do the right job. Operationally, this will contribute to enhanced security risk assessment and analysis, rapid response to security crises and better use of the workforce (known as SAFETYNET).
For safety and security personnel, UNSSSIP will establish a career development framework that sets out the desired career experiences, skills and education staff need to advance professionally. This framework will contribute to the successful launch of the SAFETYNET roll out as part of the Secretariat Staff Selection and Managed Mobility System.
UNSSSIP is divided into two phases. The first phase established a project governance structure comprising a project team and a Steering Group. The second will see the phased integration of all Secretariat safety and security staff under the authority of UNDSS. Current efforts include the establishment of the necessary delegations of authority, a framework to phase-in a managed mobility programme, and measures enabling rapid response to surge requirements. UNSSSIP aims to achieve these goals by the end of 2016.
For more information, contact the integration team at UNDSS.IntegrationProject@un.org.