Future Security Trends: Implications for Human Rights

Anticipating the Future: Foresight and International Security

In Episode 5 we talk to Emily Munro, Head of Strategic Anticipation at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GSCP). We start by asking what COVID-19 has taught us about strategic anticipation. How well-prepared were we for a pandemic and what has this preparedness taught us about the importance of using strategic foresight to be better prepared in the future? How can we anticipate what will be the most significant challenges to the private security sector in the future? How can strategic anticipation be harnessed by multi-stakeholder initiatives with diverse stakeholder groups like ICoCA?

Human Rights and Security: Adapting to the Future

In Episode 4 we talk to Dr Sorcha MacLeod, Associate Professor and Marie Skłodowska Curie Individual Fellow in the Centre for Private Governance (CEPRI) in the Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen and an independent human rights expert on the United Nations Working Group on Mercenaries and the UN Intergovernmental Working Group on private military and security companies. We ask Dr. MacLeod how private security companies and their role in the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted human rights, why we should be concerned about the increasing use of mercenaries around the world, and what other issues may be on the horizon in the private security space that have implications for human rights.

The Future Of Technology & Security: A Force for Good or Bad?

During this episode we interview Dr. Jean-Marc Rickli, Head of Global Risk and Resilience at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) in Geneva, Switzerland. Among other questions, we ask which technologies the security sector is already embracing and which are on the horizon that have the potential to disrupt the industry. With serious concerns about the way facial recognition technology is being used by security services, Dr. Rickli considers whether technology is a force for good or bad, and what mechanisms can be put in place to effectively govern the use of technology across the sector.

Managing risks: COVID-19 and lessons learned for the future of responsible security

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on security around the world. In this episode, we talk to Richard Wylde, Director for Government and Defence, and Chair of the UK Security in Complex Environments Group (SCEG). We ask Richard what the UK security sector has learned from COVID-19 and how we can ensure high standards are maintained and human rights respected across the sector during this time. Richard provides his insights on this and other risks on the horizon that we should also be preparing for.

Understanding ICoCA: Ensuring a future for responsible security

Jamie Williamson, Executive Director of the International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA) shares his perspectives on the future of responsible private security provision. Recounting the history of the formation of the Association and how the security industry has evolved, Jamie lays out some key emerging issues. These include the role of technology, urbanisation, climate change, and of course, COVID-19. All these trends are impacting the provision of responsible private security. So how are responsible private security service providers adapting to this new world, and how can respect for human rights and humanitarian law be assured in the future?