Security Council urged to ensure greater protection of humanitarian workers
November 26, 2024
New York – UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the Security Council to take urgent action to ensure the greater protection of humanitarian workers. In a briefing to the Council on Thursday, Guterres said that the number of attacks on humanitarian workers had increased dramatically in recent years, with 483 aid workers killed, 421 wounded, and 228 kidnapped in 142 major incidents last year alone.
“These attacks are a violation of international law and a betrayal of the humanitarian principles that we all hold dear,” Guterres said. “They have a devastating impact on the lives of the aid workers themselves, their families, and the communities they serve.”
Guterres urged the Security Council to take a number of steps to improve the protection of humanitarian workers, including:
- Condemning all attacks on humanitarian workers and calling for an end to impunity for those who commit them.
- Strengthening the capacity of the UN and its partners to provide security for humanitarian workers.
- Working with member states to develop and implement national plans to protect humanitarian workers.
- Supporting the Safe Schools Declaration, which calls for the protection of schools and educational facilities during armed conflict.
The Security Council is expected to discuss Guterres’s call for action in the coming weeks.
In a related development, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the plight of humanitarian workers. The campaign, called #NotATarget, aims to highlight the dangers that aid workers face and to call for greater protection of them.
“Humanitarian workers are not a target,” said OCHA chief Mark Lowcock. “They are there to help people in need, and they should be allowed to do their work without fear of attack.”
The #NotATarget campaign will be rolled out in social media, print, and broadcast media in the coming weeks.
Security Council urged to ensure greater protection of humanitarian workers
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