Photograph: Source Aid Workers Security Database
An open letter signed by 413 humanitarian organizations urges member States of the UN General Assembly to protect civilians and their staffs.
The open letter comes out today in remembrance of the World Humanitarian Day, which condemns the horrifying spike in humanitarian worker fatalities and civilian death causalities around the world.
“The brutal hostilities we are seeing in multiple conflicts around the world have exposed a terrible truth: We are living in an era of impunity,” stressed the open letter.
“Attacks that kill or injure civilians, including humanitarian and health-care personnel, are devastatingly common.”
According to humanitarian organizations, the death toll, injuries, detentions, and kidnappings have alarmingly increased in 2024.
They appeal to all States, parties to armed conflict, and the international community to end attacks on civilians, protect all aid workers, and hold perpetrators to account in their open letter.
On #WorldHumanitarianDay, 413 humanitarian organizations called on the Member States of the @UN General Assembly to:
— UN Humanitarian (@UNOCHA) August 19, 2024
❌ End attacks on civilians
❌ Protect aid workers
❌ Hold perpetrators to account
Read the letter ⬇️ #ActForHumanity
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has also announced today that 280 humanitarian workers were killed in 33 countries in 2023 alone, with a 137 percent increase compared to 2022.
It said that 172 aid workers have been killed in 2024 as of 7 August.
Seven aid workers have been killed and two wounded in Ethiopia in the year 2024 alone as of August, when 165 major attacks have been tracked throughout the world, the Aid Workers Security Database (AWSD)shows.
UNOCHA in Ethiopia condemned the killing of a humanitarian worker, Mr. Yared Melese who was killed when he was on duty in the conflict-affected area of Amhara regional state last week.
