Threat analysis

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Title of the tutorial Threat analysis
Attributions
Kind of learning session Holistic
Tutorial category Discussion
Duration (hours) 75-90m
"-90m" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 75.
Learning objectives To identify and prioritise what are the potential threats related to their work and their well-being in the context of their activities, and analyses its impact as elements of risk.
Prerequisites It is best if this activity follows a thorough context analysis.
Methodology [[Methodology::Methodology

Activity and Discussion: Threat Brainstorming (25 minutes)

In groups from one organisation:

Step 1. On a large sheet or butcher paper on an area of wall space, participants map out the main activities or areas of work carried out by the organisation, which were already identified in the vision and actor mapping exercises. If the organisation has an office, include the daily running of the office as an activity here.

Step 2. Introduce the exercise wherein participants will brainstorm the threats to themselves and their well-being which they relate to each activity. On a flipchart, write the definition of threats: any potential event which could cause harm to ourselves or our work.

Step 3. Divide participants into groups according to each activity – it may be according to activities that they work on, or divided randomly. Each group uses sticky notes to brainstorm threats they associate with each of the activities. Remind participants to consider: their situational analysis of the political, economic, social and technological trends; the actors who oppose their work and their modus operandi in trying to close their work space; any security indicators they have experienced that might alert them to likely threats; include threats to their health and well-being as well as threats to their sensitive information; threats do not have to be political in nature. They can also arise from common delinquent violence and environmental factors (e.g. malaria or dengue when traveling in areas affected by them).

Sample instructions

1. Consider, for each of your activities or areas of work, all the potential threats to yourself, your organisation and your work. Remember: a threat is any potential event which could cause harm to ourselves or our work. Don't forget to consider potential threats to your information security, and threats to your well-being.

2. Create a list of these threats. If you find it difficult, consider your adversaries and ways in which they may have acted against other human rights defenders in the past. Analyse your security indicators and consider whether they indicate a concrete threat.

3. Observe any patterns that emerge in the threats you identified: do they relate primarily to certain activities of yours, or originate from certain adversaries? This will be useful when it comes to security planning (i.e. by planning particularly for certain activities, or dedicated plans for engagement with some actors).

4. Keep this list for analysis in the following exercises.

In mixed groups:

Participants are given blank flipcharts or handouts and carry out the exercise alone firstly (according to the instructions above) and then share their brainstorm with a partner.]]

Number of facilitators involved 1
Technical needs Flipchart, markers, sticky notes, handouts (optional)
Theoretical and on line resources Holistic Security Guide

Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/files/workbook_eng.pdf

Protection International Manual http://protectioninternational.org/publication/new-protection-manual-for-human-rights-defenders-3rd-edition/