Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 49
49
Accepted in Part
Ensure comprehensive and affordable insurance covers aid workers' legal, medical, and psychological support.
Conclusion
The FCDO needs to make sure that insurance provided to aid workers by their employers covers legal advice and longer-term medical, including physiological support. The FCDO should work with insurance providers and delivery partners to ensure that appropriate and affordable packages of insurance are provided—including for local staff and volunteers, where possible. (Recommendation, Paragraph 96)
Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, stating that while they support partners' access to insurance, the choice of provider lies with partners. They note flexible funding guidelines and due diligence processes that ensure partners consider staff wellbeing, highlighting the HAVEN programme in Ukraine as an example.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Partially Agree. We agree that insurance provided to aid workers through FCDO partners should meet a range of identified needs, including legal, mental and physical health provision where applicable. FCDO’s funding guidelines are flexible, allowing for partners to budget institutional insurance policies within humanitarian projects, as well as additional country-specific insurance policies which might be exceptionally required for a programme on a case-by-case basis. While the FCDO supports our humanitarian partners’ access to insurance, the choice of which insurance company is contracted lies solely with our partners. FCDO’s due diligence framework requires partners conduct transparent and fair procurement processes for services, and demonstrate that there are sufficient safeguarding, health and wellbeing (including mental wellbeing) measures in place for their staff. This includes considerations of whether insurance policies meet the needs of aid workers. FCDO due diligence assessments are context-specific and consider whether the measures taken by the UK’s partners are most appropriate to the context. The FCDO’s HAVEN programme in Ukraine provides accident and life insurance coverage for local humanitarian workers and volunteers operating in frontline areas. By offering this essential safety net, local humanitarians can focus on their live-saving work with greater security. Learning from this programme will be collated and used to inform future programming.