This information comes from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ intranet.
General advice on personal security is available in the pamphlet ‘Personal security – advice for those moving abroad’ (in Swedish). The pamphlet contains recommendations concerning security-conscious behaviour and attitudes for posted staff in a number of different contexts. The station report contains more detailed information about important security measures in your new host country. You can also contact UD SÄK before your departure.
For countries where the threat level is particularly high, additional training in personal security should also be planned. UD SÄK and UD P UTV can provide more details about these courses.
The entire family must be security-conscious. It is important to discuss the situation in the country you’re going to and, once there, create rules and routines that all family members can easily follow – not just in countries where the threat level is particularly high.
Two factors of particular importance to personal security should be considered in this context. It is very important to be selective when choosing where to live. From a security perspective, the location is crucial. Much about the housing situation can be adjusted as necessary, but not the choice of an unsafe neighbourhood.
In most countries, the most serious security problem by far is traffic accidents. The Swedish approach to driving – always wearing a seatbelt and never drinking when driving – should therefore always be followed by posted officials, even outside Sweden.
At missions abroad, the head of mission is responsible for the security of posted officials and their family members. The head of mission must make sure that necessary security measures are taken to ensure the security of the mission’s staff and their family members. This is made clear in the Government Offices regulations concerning security and protection at missions abroad (UF 2011:6). In practice, each individual is responsible for their own security.