Eynsham Hall and the HLF

Our annual Humanitarian Learning forum finished yesterday at the lovely Eynsham Hall but we kept people on there for a couple of extra days to look at specific technical areas. I ran a morning on civilian protection with my fantastic colleagues who are working in some of the trickiest hot spots around the world. Heather focussed on security in the afternoon.

What do you do when armed men constantly enter your compound and take goods at gun point but the police charge you $25 dollars to even 'open a case' or when civilians have to pay endless 'taxes' to the police and army because their meagre salaries are siphoned off up the line and they can't survive without resorting to extortion?

Endless tricky challenges addressed today, and no quick answers, but as ever I am proud to work alongside so many amazing intelligent people who tackle these challenges daily with such humanity and integrity.

And for all of them living in difficult conditions with mosquitoes, malaria, snakes, spiders, insecurity and threats to their own safety, a few days in the Oxfordshire countryside to process and share what they have been doing are well deserved and immensely fruitful. Big thanks to Francesco, Deirdre, Benoit, Valerie, Sultana, Caroline and Tariq in particular. It is such a pleasure to work with you.