Monitoring, evaluation and improvement

Managing Risks: Safety and Security in Human Rights Work Module 3: Risk Management is not a One-off Activity Monitoring, evaluation and improvement

In this video, you will:

Get familiar with monitoring and evaluation process of the security measures
Understand the cyclical nature of the risk management process and be able to identify the appropriate time for monitoring and evaluation
Learn who to involve in the evaluation process and why self-checks do not work in the field of security
Understand that risk management is a never-ending process and that monitoring and evaluation lead to improvement

Main takeaways:

In the monitoring and evaluation process, it is essential to have a structured plan that clearly outlines who is responsible for what, when each step will occur, and what it entails.
The evaluation process should involve an independent person (either internal or external) who is not directly responsible for implementing tasks, as self-checks in security are ineffective.
The timeline of the process depends on the nature of the tasks, their complexity, and the organization's context. Different timelines may be set for various tasks based on their deadlines or specific needs. Alternatively, the organization may choose to conduct regular check-ins – weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly – for all tasks.
The designated evaluator needs to collect information about which tasks have been implemented by the responsible staff, which ones were not (and why), which ones are currently in progress, what are the problems, and what is needed to accomplish the tasks. This information is then shared with the management.
Understanding why some security measures are not implemented is as important as tracking completed tasks, allowing management to adjust strategies accordingly. The clearer, more actionable, time-bound and realistic the assigned tasks are, higher is the chance of successful implementation.
Since risks, threats, and organizational contexts evolve, risk management should never be a one-time effort. It is essential to approach the process cyclically. This leads to the fifth and final stage: repeating the process. The key is to complete one cycle, capture lessons learned from each stage, and apply them to the next cycle.