Friday 19 August is the World Humanitarian Day at the United Nations (UN).
The occasion marks the 13 anniversary of the attack on UN facilities in Baghdad in 2003, which killed 22 people. It represents a devotion to the sacrifices of aid-workers and humanitarians who have lost their lives helping and protecting the vulnerable.
World Humanitarian Day arrives a day after the world was shaken by images of a little boy, named Omran Daqneesh who has become the symbol of suffering and bloodshed in Aleppo.
More than 300 people have been killed in Aleppo in the past fortnight as waves of airstrikes by Syrian and Russian fighter-jets lay siege to the rebel held areas, leaving behind a trail of civilian casualties. But for the people of Syria the suffering in Aleppo is nothing new – it is a symptom of the conflict that has devastated the Middle East for the past five years.
The Syrian Civil War has caused the deaths of more than half a million individuals and has resulted in the displacement of more than 11 million people. According to reports 80% of Syria’s population has plunged into poverty since the beginning of the conflict. Since 2010, a complete collapse in the country’s economic foundations have led to a loss of more than $200 billion dollars.
Meanwhile millions of displaced persons from Syria and Iraq have fled to Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Egypt in pursuit of protection and safety. From there, some (less than 10%) have attempted to make their way to Europe but thousands have drowned making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea. Those that have successfully reached Europe are now facing harsh realities as the continent’s humanitarian architecture is being stretched thin by the rapid in-flow of refugees from Syria and elsewhere.
The Syrian Civil War is without a doubt the worst humanitarian crisis of our time but it’s not the only one. In Yemen a civil war is being waged between Houthi rebels and Saudi-led coalition forces with devastating humanitarian consequences. More than 2.5 million people have been internally displaced, 21.2 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and the country is on the verge of a famine, caused in large part by the Saudi intervention and embargo.
The story is sadly the same in Iraq, where more than 10 million Iraqis are need of immediate humanitarian aid, while approximately 50,000 residents in Fallujah are at risk of starvation.
We are in the middle of the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War as more than 60 million people have been driven from their homes globally as a result of war and persecution. And recognising these immense challenges, earlier this year the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon summoned world leaders and aid organisations to the first ever World Humanitarian Summit in Turkey. The Summit was a great opportunity for policymakers to redesign the humanitarian eco-system in order to better deal with the challenges posed by these crises. Yet, despite months of preparations, the summit did not produce any real break-through.
To many, the World Humanitarian Day is a reminder of these depressing facts. And who can blame them? In the mind of many people, today marks the failures of world leaders and the institutions they represent. And these leaders should bow their heads in shame for leading us to this mess. But today is not about them; it’s about thousands of brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives to protect the most vulnerable human beings.
As increasing numbers of aid-workers lose their lives in the line of duty, we have a responsibility to pressure governments into upholding international humanitarian law, which has in place specific safeguards to protect humanitarian workers.The international community must stand firm in protecting aid-workers and keeping governments accountable.
World Humanitarian Day commemorates the brave doctors and nurses of the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital, bombed by the US forces in Afghanistan. It honors the 109 aid-workers killed this year and thousands in the years since. This day pays tributes to the dozens of humanitarians in Aleppo that are risking their lives protecting civilians and pulling little children like Omran from the rubbles of the war torn city. Many of them teachers, students, firefighters, doctors, nurses, farmers – all volunteers in the face of dangers that lurk around every corner.
The World Humanitarian Day is a terrible reminder about the state of our world, but it is also an opportunity to give voice and recognition to those who struggle and risk everything to make it a better place.
