John AdoyiThe United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres has appealed for global action to safeguard humanitarian workers, warning that they are increasingly under attack despite being the last hope for millions caught in crisis.
He urged governments to reinforce the protection of aid workers amid record levels of violence against them.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelGuterres made the appeal on the occasion of the World Humanitarian Day.
The Secretary-General’s call comes as humanitarian worker fatalities continue to rise year after year. In 2022, 118 aid workers were killed globally. That number more than doubled in 2023, with 280 deaths, driven largely by intense conflict in Gaza and Sudan.
In 2024, the number climbed even higher to a record 383 aid workers killed, making it the deadliest year ever recorded. Nearly half of those fatalities occurred in Gaza, where airstrikes and ongoing conflict decimated local and international relief operations. The sharp rise in attacks over the past three years has alarmed aid agencies and UN officials, who say violence against humanitarian personnel is becoming normalized and increasingly unchecked.
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In a video message released Tuesday, Guterres said humanitarian workers are “the last lifeline for over 300 million people caught in conflict or disaster” but face growing dangers, political indifference, and shrinking resources. “Last year, at least 383 aid workers were killed across the world,” he said.
“That is a record high.” According to the UN, Sudan accounted for at least 60 of those deaths in 2024, and Gaza for nearly 190, while others were recorded in Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Syria.
Guterres emphasized that international humanitarian law is “clear and binding” and reiterated that aid workers “must be respected and protected” and “can never be targeted.” Despite these legal protections, he warned that “red lines are crossed with impunity” and what is lacking is not awareness, but the “political will – and moral courage” to hold violators accountable.
In addition to the 383 deaths in 2024, the UN recorded 308 aid workers wounded, 125 kidnapped, and 45 detained or imprisoned.
The Secretary-General said the international community must act decisively to prevent these attacks and ensure accountability. “An attack on humanitarians is an attack on humanity,” Guterres declared.
He urged countries to invest in the safety and security of aid workers, halt the flow of weapons to actors violating international law, and strengthen mechanisms to bring perpetrators to justice.
UN humanitarian affairs chief Martin Griffiths also echoed the Secretary-General’s concerns, saying that aid workers are being asked to operate in increasingly dangerous conditions with fewer resources.
He stressed that the erosion of international humanitarian law threatens not only aid workers but the civilians they serve.
World Humanitarian Day, observed every 19 August, honours the memory of those who have died in humanitarian service and celebrates the courage and commitment of those who continue to provide relief in the world’s most dangerous places.
This year’s commemoration arrives as conflicts intensify in Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, and other hotspots, pushing humanitarian response efforts to the breaking point.
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