Impunity must end as attacks on aid workers rise to record high

Geneva, 15 August 2024 - Last year, 280 aid workers were killed in deliberate attacks. According to the Aid Worker Security Database, 2023 was the most dangerous year on record to be an aid worker.  

Just eight months into the year, 2024 is already the second deadliest year since the database began recording statistics in 1997. Since January, 176 aid workers have been killed in attacks. 

On World Humanitarian Day, CARE is demanding an end to attacks on aid workers, an end to impunity for perpetrators, and increased support to local and national organisations, including women led organisations, to adequately manage security risks as they are the first and last to respond to humanitarian crises in circumstances often judged too high risk by international actors.  

Sofía Sprechmann Sineiro, Secretary General of CARE International, said: “The rising number of deliberate attacks on aid workers must stop. These are not only devastating for the individual worker, his or her family, friends and colleagues, but also represent attacks on entire communities. Faced with increasingly severe humanitarian crises and threats to their own safety, aid workers around the world continue to show their unrelenting dedication and resilience.”   

In 2023, the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) became the most dangerous place to be an aid worker. Last year, 163 aid workers were killed in deliberate attacks. In 2024, 121 aid workers have been killed in OPT, according to the database. This year, Sudan was the next most dangerous country with 12 aid workers killed, and eight have been killed in South Sudan.  

Nahed Abu Iyada, Health Program Field Officer for CARE West Bank and Gaza, said: “The biggest challenge for me as an aid worker is the lack of safety and security. Right now, no one in Gaza is safe. International humanitarian law is not being respected and we can be attacked at anytime, anywhere, and without any warning.  

“The lack of security is taking a toll on our wellbeing. Now, we live in tents or overcrowded shelters, struggle to find enough food and water for our children, and cannot sleep due to the constant sound of bombing. There is never a second of respite. There is no safe space, not for our bodies, and not for our minds. Gaza is going through hell right now, and we are all suffering.” 

“Targeting the very people who are working to save lives is a violation of obligations under international humanitarian law. Too often, the perpetrators of attacks on aid workers evade punishment. Regardless of who is responsible – whether state or non-state actors – perpetrators of these violations must be held accountable,” said Sofía Sprechmann Sineiro.  

The overwhelming majority of recorded attacks on aid workers are inflicted on national staff. While 95% of the victims of recorded attacks on aid workers since January 2023 were national staff, 5% were international staff.  

National staff and partner organisations are critical to humanitarian responses but too often, their vital role goes unrecognised. Women aid workers face unique and often increased risks, just because they are women. Yet they are able to reach crises affected communities, especially women and girls who are disproportionately affected, in ways that men cannot.  “National staff and staff from local and national organisations are the real heroes. Yet, they often operate on a shoestring, with inadequate funding to even afford the most basic security equipment and training,” added Sofía Sprechmann Sineiro.  

Guerda Previlon, Executive Secretary, IDEJEN (Initiative pour le Developpment des Jeunes), a CARE partner organisation in Haiti, said: “Gang violence has been spiralling out of control in Haiti these past years. Today, the situation is probably worse than it has ever been. You see girls who are only 15 years old, yet they already have two or three children. For women in the camps who have been raped or sexually harassed, it is often easier to speak to another woman. The most important way we can ensure that our work is successful, and our staff is safe, is to build strong relationships with the people in the camps and community-based organizations.” 

“Unfortunately, lately, the gangs have forced many local women’s organizations to close their doors. They are stealing their cars and burning down their offices. We must help these organizations to open their doors again. Without them, the future of Haiti will look much bleaker. Despite the horror we are encountering, we see daily the difference our work is making. We give people hope, and we help mothers regain an income and children go back to school to hopefully find a better future than their parents.” 

Sofía Sprechmann Sineiro added: “The specific risks and needs of female humanitarian workers and women led organizations must be recognised and addressed. In particular, where they are delivering lifesaving interventions often seen as “sensitive” in contexts where women and girls' rights are violated, such as Sexual and Reproductive Health and Gender Based Violence services. We simply would not be able to respond to complex crises, including supporting the survivors of gender-based violence, without local organisations and national staff.” 

Editor’s Notes 

August 19 was originally designated World Humanitarian Day (WHD) by the United Nations General Assembly in commemoration of the 22 aid workers who lost their lives in a bomb attack in Baghdad in 2003. Every year, WHD is a moment, according to the UN, to advocate for the “survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers.”  

The Aid Worker Security Database tracks major, deliberate attacks on aid workers. 

For media enquiries, please contact [email protected].