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 General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 19 August as World Humanitarian Day (WHD), a day to honour humanitarian aid workers all over the world.
At one point, last year, 235 million people in 26 countries required humanitarian assistance. Whenever and wherever people are in need, there are others who help them.
It takes a small village to help one person in a humanitarian crisis.
460 aid workers were attacked last year alone: 140 killed, 203 wounded and 117 kidnapped. Of the aid workers who died, 98% were national staff and 2% were international (expatriate) staff – more than half (53%) were staff of national NGOs.
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. The theme for the 2022 WHD campaign, “It takes a village”, will shine a light on the thousands of volunteers, professionals and crisis-affected people who risk their lives to deliver urgent health care, shelter, food, protection, water and much more.
Digital art has been used to tell the stories of people in need and those who help them. At the centre of the campaign is a series of beautifully illustrated aid worker profiles that show the breadth and depth of humanitarian work and collectively symbolize the wider humanitarian village.
Humanitarian aid workers provide life-saving assistance to people suffering all over the world. These workers, some of whom live in conflict zones or in areas devastated by natural disasters, are especially vulnerable.
Anyone and everyone can be a humanitarian, to learn more about the WHD and how you can help click on the link below:
https://www.un.org/en/observances/humanitarian-day
Bronwyn Reid | August 2022