Demain dès l’aube… Demain, dès l’aube, à l’heure où blanchit la campagne, Je partirai. Vois-tu, je sais que tu m’attends. J’irai par la forêt, j’irai par la montagne. Je ne puis demeurer loin de toi plus longtemps. Je marcherai les yeux fixés sur mes pensées, Sans rien voir au dehors, sans entendre aucun bruit, Seul, inconnu, le dos courbé, les mains croisées, Triste, et le jour pour moi sera comme la nuit. Je ne regarderai ni l’or du soir qui tombe, Ni les voiles au loin descendant vers Harfleur, Et quand j’arriverai, je mettrai sur ta tombe Un bouquet de houx vert et de bruyère en fleur. —Victor Hugo Tomorrow at dawn… Tomorrow, at dawn, as the mists blanket the countryside, I will depart. You see, I know that you are waiting for me. I will go by the forest, I will go by the mountain. I cannot live far from you any more. I will walk with eyes fixed on my thoughts, Without seeing, without hearing a single sound, Alone, unknown, back bent, arms crossed, Sad, and the day for me will be as the night. I will see neither the gold of sunset falling, Nor the mist lowering itself on Harfleur, And when I arrive, I will place on your grave Updated January 2012 A bouquet of green holly and of heather in bloom. Handbook — Victor Hugo for action United Nations www.un-epst.org Department of in cases of Management OHRM 11-00131—January 2012—1,000 death in service EPST Handbook for action in cases of death in service Department of Management Office of Human Resources Management Emergency Preparedness and Support Team United Nations, New York, 2012 CONTENTS Glossary and abbreviations . .. v Foreword by the Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon . .. vii Introduction . ix I . DEATH AT THE DUTY STATION . 1 A . Responsibility of the United Nations and of Particular Offices . 3 B . Responsibility at Headquarters by Lead Department . 4 C . Death Under Special Circumstances . 5 D . Actions to be Taken by the Administration in All Cases of Death . 6 II . DEATH AT THE FIELD MISSION . 21 A . Actions to be Taken at the Field Mission . 23 B . Actions to be Taken by the Field Personnel Division (FPD) . .. 33 III . THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM . 43 A . Role of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security . 45 B . Actions Required in Cases of Death of Staff Members Under Suspicious or Unclear Circumstances and/or Accidents . 47 C . Actions at the Death Scene. 48 D . Official Notification Procedures . .50 E. Documentation . 51 F . Disposition of Remains . 52 G . Conclusion . 54 IV . MASS CASUALTY INCIDENTS (MCI) .. 55 A . Activation and Responsibilities of the Local Administration . .. 57 B . Activation and Responsibilities of the Family Focal Point (FFP) System . 58 C . Actions to be Taken by the Administration in Mass Casualty Incidents . .. 60 Handbook for Action, In Cases of Death in Service iii V . APPENDIX D, MAIP AND OTHER ENTITLEMENTS . 67 A . Determination of Applicability . 69 B . Appendix D . 70 C . Malicious Acts Insurance Policy (MAIP) . 76 D . Dual Coverage/Comparison Chart . 82 E . Benefits and Entitlements Available Upon Death of a Staff Member . 84 F . References . 88 VI . PENSION BENEFITS . 89 A . Pension Benefits Due to Survivors . 91 B . Administrative Procedures and Requirements . 92 C . Definition of Terms . 96 VII . INSURANCE BENEFITS . 101 A. Health Insurance . 103 B . Life Insurance . 104 VIII . CEREMONIES, MEMORIAL SERVICES AND SPECIAL PROCEDURES . 107 A. Memorial Services . 109 B . Transportation of the Remains to Place of Burial . 113 C . Flags and Honour Guards . 114 D. Notification Visit . 117 IX . ANNEXES . 123 I . Action Checklists at a Glance . 125 II . Sources of Reference . 129 III . Exhibits . 132 iv Handbook for Action, In Cases of Death in Service Glossary and abbreviations ABCC Advisory Board on Compensation Claims ASHI After-Service Health Insurance BOI Board Of Inquiry CMS Chief of Mission Support DFS Department of Field Support DMS Director of Mission Support DPI Department of Public Information DPKO Department of Peacekeeping Operations DSS Department of Safety and Security EPST Emergency Preparedness and Support Team FFP Family Focal Point FPD Field Personnel Division GLI Group Life Insurance HR Specialist Human Resources Officer or Assistant ICCS Insurance Claims and Compensation Section IDS Insurance and Disbursement Section IMIS Integrated Management Information System Lead Department Department managing the emergency MAIP Malicious Acts Insurance Policy NOTICAS Notification of Casualty (form): official document stating the cause of death OCSS Office of Central Support Services OHRM Office of Human Resources Management OICT Office of Information Communications Technology OPPBA Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts PA Personnel Action S.R. Staff Rule UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNJSPF United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund UNPOL United Nations Police UNV United Nations Volunteers Handbook for Action, In Cases of Death in Service v Foreword by the Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon On 19 August 2003, a bomb exploded at the Baghdad headquarters of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, killing 22 staff members and wounding more than 100 . On 12 January 2010, an earthquake destroyed several United Nations buildings in Port-au-Prince, taking the lives of 102 staff members and injuring numerous others . On 1 April 2011, a protest at the UNAMA office in Mazar-e-Sharif became chaotic and violent, causing the deaths of 7 staff members . Just two days later, on 4 April 2011, perilous weather caused a United Nations plane to crash in Kinshasa, claiming the lives of 32 people including 22 staff members on board . These incidents are but a few among many that remind us that every single day, United Nations personnel face grave and often moral perils while serving our global mission of peace, development and human rights. Mourning the loss of fallen colleagues is a ritual with which we have become sadly familiar. We have also become keenly aware of the need to provide better support to survivors and to the families of those who perish or are injured. The UN Secretariat’s Emergency Preparedness and Support Team, in close col- laboration with other United Nations departments and offices, aims to help all of us in responding to the deaths of friends and colleagues in a sensitive and timely fashion, and in strengthening organizational resilience in order to serve as best we can even in the most desperate of circumstances. This Handbook, an initiative of the Team, is a collaborative effort among many departments and is meant as a tool for alleviating the confusion and bureaucratic delays that often ensue when there is a death or, in the case of larger disasters, many deaths as a result of mali- cious acts, natural disasters or other emergencies. While intended primarily for offices and departments directly charged with sup- porting family members, this publication can help each of us to familiarize our- selves with what must be done in such difficult circumstances so that we may, together, create a compassionate and empathetic environment for the loved ones of those who give of themselves in such an honourable way. Although I am sure we would all wish for there to be no need for such a guide, the Handbook’s exist- ence fills an important gap and I commend it to all staff so that we can uphold our responsibility to honour those colleagues who make the ultimate sacrifice in serving our Organization, and to help those they leave behind. BAN Ki-moon Secretary-General of the United Nations Handbook for Action, In Cases of Death in Service vii Introduction The Handbook for Action in Cases of Death in Service is an updated version of the original version that was first published in 2001. The Handbook is a compilation of all the actions, duties and responsibilities that may occur when a staff member dies while on duty. This Handbook offers timely guidelines to be applied while recognizing the unique circumstances that might arise in each situation. It is written with an intention to support those — affected families and staff — who need most support during difficult times. I enjoin all staff dealing with bereaved families and colleagues to be compassionate, flexible and sensitive. Colleagues, please be certain that my office and my staff is at your service should you need individual consultation regarding particular cir- cumstances. As part of Secretary-General’s commitment to the families who lost loved ones, the United Nations family is called upon to go above and beyond the line of duty to assist families and staff during these difficult times. The Handbook is organized as a reference material. There are eight Chapters, with the first two Chapters outlining death of a staff member at the duty station (Chapter I), and at field missions (Chapter II). Chapter III discusses the role of the United Nations Security Management System and actions and official proce- dures to be taken immediately after death. Chapter IV, the newly added Chapter, outlines actions to be taken in mass casualty incidents. Chapter IV offers support activities for families and affected staff through a cadre of trained staff such as the Family Focal Points. Chapter V, the newly revised Chapter, provides informa- tion on Appendix D entitlement and Malicious Acts Insurance Policy (MAIP) as well as other entitlements. Chapter VI and VII provide information on pension benefits and insurance benefits for eligible dependents. Chapter VIII provides information on special procedures, ceremonies and memorial services. Lastly, the annexes portion of the handbook provides administrative instructions and forms along with sources of reference. Your feedback is welcome and appreciated on this updated version of the Hand- book, which I hope will help you in coping with these very difficult situations.