Weapons in healthcare facilities undermine their character of neutral and safe spaces, create an atmosphere non-conducive to respect of medical ethics and are a precursor for threats and security incidents. The presence of weapons inside of health-care facilities may also lead to perceptions and mistrust that a health-care facility is being involved in military operations and has thus lost its protection under IHL.
This toolkit’s aim is to reduce the presence of weapons in healthcare facilities. It does this by exploring some of the reasons people bring in weapons and then provides them with alternatives that keep weapons outside the facility. The toolkit uses messaging, re-design of the environment and training to change people’s behaviour over the long term.