World Humanitarian Day

On 19 August, every year the World Humanitarian Day is commemmorated.

Background

On 19 August 2003, a bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killed 22 humanitarian aid workers, including the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Five years later, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 19 August as World Humanitarian Day (WHD).

Each year, WHD focuses on a theme, bringing together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers.

WHD is a campaign by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Theme for 2024:  Act for Humanity

2023 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers. 2024 could be even worse. These facts lay bare a glaring truth: the world is failing humanitarian workers and, by extension, the people they serve.

Despite universally accepted international laws to regulate the conduct of armed conflict and limit its impact, violations of these laws continue unabated, unchallenged and unchecked. And while civilians, including aid workers, pay the ultimate price, the perpetrators continue to evade justice. 

In 2023, the number of aid workers killed more than doubled in two years: from 118 in 2022 to 261 in 2023. 

Source : United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)