Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Today on 18 Aug 2024, European Union High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, have released a statement on 2024 World Humanitarian Day.
They said: “Tomorrow, we observe World Humanitarian Day to celebrate the indispensable and tireless life-saving actions of aid workers worldwide. When disasters strike, crises explode and conflicts arise, humanitarians are among the foremost ones on the spot delivering emergency service to those affected. This selfless calling to bring comfort – but also hope – to the most powerless must be honoured and protected.”
It cannot be forgotten that there is an acute danger facing humanitarian workers as they carry out their duties in war zones and environments where their security is not ensured. Tragically, 2023 was the deadliest year on record for aid workers, and 2024 is likely to follow the same harrowing trend.
It has been stated year after year that humanitarian workers must be protected at all costs, without exceptions. However, in this increasingly volatile world, words alone are not enough. It is now considered a time for action. This is why the EU has established the Protect Aid Workers initiative to assist local aid workers who have fallen victim to attacks or other security incidents while on duty by providing legal aid and rapid financial grants. The first of its kind, the mechanism has distributed 25 grants to humanitarian workers in need of support, totalling over €240,000, since February 2024.
What challenges do local aid workers face in conflict zones?
Further, they contended that while international aid workers often make headlines when attacked, it is the national staff who are most at risk of being killed, kidnapped, or wounded while on duty. The mechanism aims to create a safety net for these local aid workers, who frequently have limited resources and cannot rely on the protection offered by large international organizations.
Most applications received through the platform come from the Occupied Palestinian West Bank and Gaza, where a humanitarian catastrophe has been unfolding over the past 10 months. In such places, where daily survival is a struggle for every civilian, the life-saving work of the humanitarian community is crucial.
How does the EU plan to defend International Humanitarian Law?
Although the ‘Protect Aid Workers’ initiative addresses an important gap in the humanitarian field, much remains to be done. There has been a troubling trend in recent years of certain States showing blatant disregard for the basic norms of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in their conflicts. This situation calls for decisive action by the international community to defend IHL as a fundamental element of the rules-based international order.
World Humanitarian Day serves as a reminder that protecting aid workers is not only a moral imperative but also a legal obligation under IHL. It underscores that failing to uphold IHL leads to impunity and a worsening cycle of abuse, with civilians and aid workers bearing the greatest burden.
