On June 19, INTERSOS, together with the PONAH platform and with the support of the European Union, brought together civil society organisations, international partners, donors and the media in Bamako for a conference organised as part of the PARTAGE project to promote more equitable management of security risks in humanitarian action and highlight good practices.
The Central Sahel is facing a persistent humanitarian and security crisis, directly affecting local actors involved in the humanitarian response. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at both national and community levels operate in particularly unstable and complex contexts, confronting severe threats to their security—often without sufficient resources or appropriate risk management mechanisms. Disinformation, which Insecurity Insight defines as “users knowingly and deliberately spread[ing] false claims” intensifies their vulnerability by fostering hostile narratives and narrowing their operational space.
To address these challenges, INTERSOS and PONAH, with the support of the European Union, brought together CSOs, international partners, donors, and media at a national conference held in Bamako on June 19, 2025, within the framework of the PARTAGE project. The objective was to promote a fairer management of security risks in humanitarian action and to highlight good practices.
The discussions were structured around two roundtables. The first, titled “Civil Society on the Frontline,” shed light on the challenges of risk management, obstacles faced, as well as good practices and key messages shared by local actors. The second, “Towards a Fairer Management of Security Risks,” facilitated dialogue among stakeholders on the commitments and priorities necessary for a better distribution of responsibilities and improved risk management practices. The main observations, lessons learned, and recommendations are summarized below.
CSOs Exposed to Persistent Imbalance
Testimonies gathered during the conference highlighted a significant imbalance: CSOs bear a disproportionate share of security risks without receiving equivalent support, resources, or protection mechanisms compared to international NGOs. The CAEB notably addressed difficulties related to instability and lack of technical services, especially healthcare. FEDE also emphasised the specific risks faced by women, citing direct gender-based threats and “the emotional burden on [their] teams who are permanently on the ground, exerting tremendous effort, yet without psychological support mechanisms for these staff”. These findings reinforce the necessity of genuine responsibility-sharing and advocacy for structural initiatives such as the PARTAGE project.
Misinformation: An Underestimated Risk Multiplier
Analyses by Insecurity Insight, supported by testimonies from local NGOs, show that disinformation and misinformation surrounding humanitarian action and organisations intensifies security risks. It increases the invisibility of local organisations’ efforts, fuels population mistrust, and can even lead to wrongful accusations. As Christina Wille of Insecurity Insight reminded participants, “images on social media can create real security risks”. In response to these threats, it is imperative to strengthen monitoring of communications on local social media and other media platforms, alongside protection mechanisms for the humanitarian space.
Towards Better Coordination and Recognition of Local Actors
In light of these risks, promoting multi-actor and multi-level collaboration based on strong relationships—both vertical (between donors, authorities, and CSOs) and horizontal (among local organisations, communities, and technical partners)—is essential. Such an approach would establish a clear framework for sharing responsibilities, enhancing protection of local actors and the effectiveness of humanitarian responses. As emphasised by ECHO, this collaboration must rely on equitable and strategic partnerships from the project design phase: “we are moving toward equitable partnerships; we are in favour of national NGOs that are in partnership”.
Local actors should not be viewed merely as subcontractors within operational frameworks, but as strategic partners with deep contextual knowledge, contributing to project development from the outset. This need was widely underscored during the conference. OCHA, for example, stressed the importance of strengthening coordination with local platforms like PONAH and better integrating local voices into humanitarian decision-making spaces. Insecurity Insight also recommended local organisations “take leadership in communication”. Finally, FEDE illustrated their added value by highlighting its capacity to identify local security needs, particularly for women and children.
The Need for Sustainable and Structured Support
Discussions highlighted the importance of long-term support rooted in action sustainability: training followed by post-training mentoring, peer-learning spaces, and the development of coaches to guide organisations in their own risk management processes. Funding projects dedicated to security risk management is also critical to reducing imbalances between local and international actors, as INSO pointed out. Initiatives such as the security resources mapping conducted by GISF could also strengthen CSO autonomy. In this respect, CAEB and Bioforce emphasized the importance of sustained support mechanisms, including psychological assistance and security analysis, as noted by AMSODE.
Advocacy as a Tool for Transformation
Advocacy emerged as a central tool to combat the invisibility of local actors in discourse and humanitarian funding mechanisms. It also helps build a strong collective voice, notably through the support of national platforms like PONAH.
Regarding security challenges, advocacy helps acknowledge the heightened risk exposure of local organisations. It facilitates stronger international partner engagement for fairer responsibility-sharing and better integration of local actor security in aid strategies.
Concerning misinformation and disinformation, advocacy contributes to restoring facts, reinforcing local actors’ legitimacy, and highlighting their significant contributions. As Insecurity Insight said, in a context where false information threatens the humanitarian space, a collective, structured, and fact-based response is necessary. Advocacy thus appears as a strategic lever to correct erroneous narratives and defend the integrity of humanitarian action.
Conclusion
The conference reiterated the urgent need for genuine risk-sharing and sustainable support for local organisations. The EU-funded PARTAGE project demonstrates that collaborative support can strengthen the security, visibility, and legitimacy of frontline actors. It marks a step toward fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable humanitarian action in the Central Sahel