The market for private military and security companies (PMSCs) has expanded drastically since the end of the Cold War. Although PMSCs are highly controversial security providers (with Blackwater as...Show moreThe market for private military and security companies (PMSCs) has expanded drastically since the end of the Cold War. Although PMSCs are highly controversial security providers (with Blackwater as the best-known example), these companies have become increasingly involved in UN peacebuilding. This prompts the question: Does the widespread use of PMSCs in UN peacebuilding enhance or undermine the effectiveness of peacebuilding missions? This study maintains that PMSCs have an innate tendency to harden (i.e. militarize) security risk management. They encourage humanitarian organizations to protect their personnel with barbed wired fences, security guards, protected convoys, and secure aid compounds, even if security risks are relatively low. This needlessly militarizes humanitarian space. Not only does it create a threatening environment around peace programs, it also increases physical and psychological barriers between humanitarian personnel and local communities. This disrupts the integration of interveners with their local environments and undermines some of the key requirements for effective peacebuilding.Show less
