العربية
As the world marks World Humanitarian Day on August 19, the United Nations and its partners are sounding the alarm over the increasing violence against aid workers. The past year has been the deadliest on record, with 280 aid workers killed across 33 countries—a staggering 137% increase from 2022, when 118 were killed, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the rising violence and the culture of impunity that allows perpetrators to evade justice. He urged governments to exert pressure on all parties involved in conflicts to protect civilians and humanitarian workers alike. “We must all do more to protect and safeguard our common humanity,” Guterres emphasized.
The death toll for aid workers in 2024 is on track to surpass last year’s grim figures. As of August 7, 172 humanitarian workers had already lost their lives, with many deaths occurring during the first three months of hostilities in Gaza. Airstrikes in Gaza alone have claimed the lives of more than 280 aid workers since October 2023, most of whom were staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Additionally, violence in Sudan and South Sudan has significantly contributed to the rising death toll.
Joyce Msuya, UN Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, called the normalization of violence against aid workers “unacceptable and unconscionable.” She stressed the need for greater accountability, stating, “We reiterate our demand that people in power act to end violations against civilians and the impunity with which these heinous attacks are committed.”
This year’s World Humanitarian Day campaign, #ActForHumanity, aims to rally public support to pressure warring parties and world leaders to better protect civilians and aid workers caught in conflict zones. The observance also commemorates the 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, which killed 22 humanitarian workers, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq.
Humanitarian organizations have collectively urged UN Member States to enforce greater protections for aid workers, their premises, and their assets, as outlined in UN Security Council resolution 2730, adopted in May 2024. They stressed that those who violate international humanitarian law must be held accountable, ensuring that justice is served for these atrocities.
The letter from humanitarian organizations affirmed their commitment to continue providing aid in crisis zones but highlighted the urgent need for a united stand to safeguard their staff, volunteers, and the civilians they serve.
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