Honor to help workers on the front lines

Today, World Humanitarian Day, the world pays tribute to all humanitarians – many working in their own communities – who will try to help women, men and children whose lives have been triggered by crises and the global COVID-19 pandemic in extraordinary times.

The dedication, perseverance and sacrifice of these real-life heroes represent the best that humanity has responded to the COVID-19 crisis and triggered a huge increase in humanitarian needs.

The people with the first answer are often the people in need themselves – refugees, members of civil society organizations and local health workers. They bring food, shelter, health care, protection, and hope to others in the midst of conflict, displacement, disaster, and disease.

But aid workers are being tested like never before, battling unprecedented restrictions on movement and insufficient resources as needs exceed resources.

And too often they risk their own lives to save the lives of others.

In just the last few weeks, heinous attacks have killed helpers in Niger and Cameroon, and since the beginning of the pandemic, a multitude of health workers have become aggressive around the world.

Towards humanitarian outcomes’ Aid Worker Security DatabaseMajor attacks against humanitarians last year surpassed all previous years. A total of 483 aid workers were attacked, 125 killed, 234 wounded and 124 abducted in 277 separate incidents. This is an increase in the number of victims by 18 percent compared to 2018.

This is the eleventh World Humanitarian Day, set by the UN General Assembly. It falls on the day of the attack on the UN building in Baghdad on 19 August 2003, which claimed the lives of 22 people, including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Since then, nearly 5,000 humanitarians have been killed, wounded or abducted, and the 2010-2019 decade saw an increase of 117 percent over 2000-2009.

Attacks on health workers were recorded in 2019, including strikes against doctors in Syria and shootings of Ebola workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Most of the attacks took place in Syria, followed by South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan and the Central African Republic. Mali and Yemen recorded a doubling of major attacks from last year. The UN condemns these attacks and calls for accountability for the perpetrators and justice for the survivors. Assistants cannot be the target.

Mark Lowcock, Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said: “We say thank you to the humanitarian workers who are doing important, courageous work on the front lines everywhere. You save lives every day, and as new challenges and crises pile up on existing ones, your perseverance is an inspiration. Your protection is also crucial to make sure we can deliver to those who need it most. The best way to honor humanitarian workers is to fund their work and ensure their safety. “

This year’s World Humanitarian Aid Day comes as the world fights the COVID-19 pandemic. To pay tribute to the humanitarian efforts, OCHA and its partners present the personal stories of some of the #RealLifeHeroes who keep up with the challenges, especially local humanitarian workers.

They include refugees who, as health workers, play an essential role in responding to a pandemic; Ebola health workers entering the fight against COVID-19; and physicians and nurses who continue to provide critical health care to women and children.

Read their inspirational stories here: www.worldhumanitarianday.org

For the media: Photos, videos and social media footage

About World Humanitarian Day

On August 19, 2008, the United Nations General Assembly declared World Humanitarian Day to raise awareness of humanitarian aid around the world and to pay tribute to people who risked their lives. World Humanitarian Day was marked for the first time on August 19, 2009.