World Humanitarian Day: Date, Theme, History and Celebration

World Humanitarian Day is celebrated on 19 August to pay tribute to the humanitarian workers killed and injured in the course of their work and to support people affected by crises around the world. Let us have a look in detail at the day.

World Humanitarian Day is celebrated on 19 August to commemorate the humanitarian workers or real-life heroes who have committed their lives to help others in the most extreme circumstances around the world. On this day, we honour all aid and health workers who continue, despite the odds, to provide life-saving support and protection to the people who are in most need.

Theme:

2023 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers. 2024 could be even worse. These facts lay bare a glaring truth: the world is failing humanitarian workers and, by extension, the people they serve.

Despite universally accepted international laws to regulate the conduct of armed conflict and limit its impact, violations of these laws continue unabated, unchallenged and unchecked. And while civilians, including aid workers, pay the ultimate price, the perpetrators continue to evade justice.

This failure of those in power cannot be allowed to continue. Attacks on humanitarian workers and humanitarian assets must stop. Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure must stop.

This World Humanitarian Day, we demand an end to these violations and the impunity with which they are committed. It is time for those in power to end impunity and #ActForHumanity.

• 2024: Act For Humanity
• 2023: No Matter What
• 2022: It Takes a Village
• 2021: The Human Race
• 2020: Real Life Heroes

World Humanitarian Day: History

World Humanitarian Day was designated in memory of a bomb attack on 19 August 2003 on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq where 22 people died including the chief humanitarian in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. The United Nations General Assembly in 2009 formalized the day as World Humanitarian Day.

This year the day highlights the immediate human cost of the climate crisis by pressurising world leaders to take appropriate and meaningful action for the world’s most vulnerable people.

Some Facts:

• As per the UN, in 2022, 444 aid workers were attacked, 116 were killed, 143 were wounded, and 185 were kidnapped.
• Of the aid workers who died, 96% were national staff and 4% were international (expatriate) staff – more than half (47%) were staff of national NGOs.
• Data for 2023 in the Aid Worker Security Database shows that South Sudan has been the most dangerous place for aid workers for several consecutive years. Sudan is a close second (as of 17 August 2013.
• The 2023 Mid-Year Update of the Global Humanitarian Needs Overview estimated that 362 million people in the world need humanitarian assistance.
• Most of the violence took place in South Sudan, Mali and Myanmar.

Why is World Humanitarian Day celebrated?

World Humanitarians Day celebrates the selfless heroes who sacrifice their life for the service of mankind. Humanitarians are people who have no other purpose than to safeguard and aid society to live a better life.

And every year on 19 August, the world comes together to celebrate the honourable work of humanitarians. According to the UN website, “Humanitarians are united by a shared mission to save and protect lives. They will never compromise on humanitarian principles and always strive to make the best decisions for the people they serve. However, Humanitarian work is difficult and dangerous, but we don’t give up on our commitment to overcome the challenges and deliver life-saving assistance to people in need, #NoMatterWhat.”

Every year, World Humanitarian Day (WHD) focuses on a particular subject and brings together partners from many sectors of the humanitarian system to promote the survival, well-being, and dignity of those affected by disasters as well as the security and safety of aid workers.

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World Humanitarian Day: Quotes