UNDSS - protecting and enabling the United Nations to deliver globally

Our mission

The UNDSS mission is to enable the United Nations system operations through trusted security leadership and solutions.

The UN safety and security team works to:

UN Safety and Security Officer with his K-9 are going through the rows of seats in the Security Council Chamber before a meeting.
Protect the people who work for a better world
Officers are attaching a pin to recent graduates' uniforms.
Develop & maintain a professional safety & security workforce
UN emblem
Provide leadership & coordination of UNSMS
A car with a sign saying 'security' on its front windshield drives through very deep muddy waters.
Succeed in challenging environments around the world

In particular we:

  • Coordinate and advise on safety and security for the UN in the field
  • Support the UN’s peace, humanitarian, development, and human rights operations
  • Analyse threats and risks
  • Advise on physical security and protective services
  • Manage security at major conferences
  • Provide security at UNHQ and offices away from Headquarters
  • Collaborate with NGOs
  • Provide a security decision-making framework

Find out more about what we do

A car laden with objects on its roof is towed out of a water puddle while a man stands by watching.

Road crashes are a leading cause of death and serious injury to UN personnel. Road crashes kill more UN staff than terrorism. The United Nations is committed to curbing road crashes among its staff. For the first time a single, holistic road safety management approach will be implemented to halve the number of UN personnel, or other road users, killed or seriously injured, in road crashes involving UN vehicles.

13 female UN Security officers put their hands together in a group handshake.

The United Nations has been at the forefront of mainstreaming gender into all its policies and programmes. UNDSS has recently increased its efforts in this regard, working with the partners of the Inter-Agency Security Management Network to develop and improve gender sensitivity and responsiveness in all aspects of the UN Security Management System and our Security Risk Management processes.

woman security officer

Ensuring the safety and security of personnel in UN operations is vital not only for fulfilling the Organization’s duty of care to staff, but critical to protecting the investments of Member States in the execution of the UN mandate. Consistent with the UN objective to “stay and deliver”, it is our shared responsibility to ensure that there is “no programme without security, no security without resources”.