field missions.47 Most CSOs operating in dangerous areas have security procedures in place that are developed by security professionals.48 Make yourself familiar with these procedures and observe them closely. When possible, also study any contingency plan in detail. In crowded situations, such as demonstrations, consider the following security measures: • Adopt a heightened sense of personal security and situational awareness. • Keep a low profile and make sure to dress appropriately. • Think through where and how to leave/reach your mode of transport in order to avoid being trapped by the crowd and to allow for a quick and safe if necessary. Park your vehicle away from the city center, for instance. • Be aware of alternative routes out of the area and if possible, locate multiple exit routes. • Know that vulnerability increases when travelling in zones with poor communication networks or where conflict and violence is ongoing. Several preventive measures can be taken in order to reduce or mitigate security risks: • Regularly conduct risk assessments. • Depending on the situation, identify whether it is better to remain more discreet or out in the open. • Build and use all channels that can alert you to security threats, including those of other organizations. • If you are a foreigner, identify where your country’s embassy is located, get in touch with them to know of your presence in the country, and study the routes to travel there in haste. 47 David Lloyd Roberts, Staying Alive: Safety and Security Guidelines for Humanitarian Volunteers in Conflict Zones, INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE, 41 (2005), available at https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/publication/p0717.htm. 48 Marit Maehlum, Human Rights Monitoring, in MANUAL ON HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING. AN INTRODUCTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS FIELD OFFICERS 1, 26 (Kristin Hogdahl, Ingrid Kvammen Ekkerr and Lalaine Sadiwa, eds., 2002); International Bar Association & Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Guidelines on International Human Rights Fact-Finding Visits and Reports, paragraph 33 (2009), available at http://www.factfindingguidelines.org/guidelines.html.. 44