Every year, World Humanitarian Day is celebrated on August 19th to tribute humanitarian workers who risk their lives to improve the lives of others. This day also serves to support people affected by crises around the world.
The United Nations, along with international and non-governmental organizations, come together to celebrate it and it is commemorated with fundraisers for aid organizations, conferences and a variety of events to raise awareness for those living in crisis.
HISTORY OF WORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY
The United Nations General Assembly established this day in 2008 and it was first held on August 19th, 2009. The commemoration took place exactly six years after the 2002 Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad, which killed 22 people. Among the dead was the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio de Mello. The hotel bombing was a great loss for the UN and the humanitarian aid community, and a turning point for the need to increase protection for humanitarian operations in Iraq and around the world.
It is an opportunity to recognize the immense value and sacrifice of humanitarian workers, who often put themselves at risk and face dangerous conditions to bring medical assistance, food, water, shelter and protection to communities affected by conflict, natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
HOW DOES THE UN ACT IN HUMANITARIAN AID?
It is estimated that The United Nations provide humanitarian aid to about 91.4 million people in 83 countries. The entities in charge of carrying out humanitarian aid and protection operations throughout the world are:
- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
- The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
- Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
- The World Food Program (WFP)
- The World Health Organization (WHO)
STRENGTHENING THE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE UN
In 2022 several devastating records were broken. The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection rose from 274 million to 348.7 million over the course of the year due to the combined factors of conflict, climate change, disasters, the lingering effects of the pandemic disease by coronavirus (COVID-19) and a global economic slowdown. The unprecedented levels of suffering strained the capacity of the humanitarian system and highlighted the importance of effective humanitarian coordination.
Since the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, it is considered the biggest humanitarian emergency in Europe in decades. More than 18 million people (one third of the country's population) need assistance in Ukraine or abroad, and displacement and needs continue to grow exponentially.
It was the year with the largest number of activations of the humanitarian system-wide expansion of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. As always, those furthest behind – in particular women and children, older persons, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and minorities – were disproportionately affected .
Added to the war in Ukraine, which is approaching a year and a half of unresolved conflict, the current situation in Sudan, due to the war between the Army and the RSF, has reached "very serious levels". The WHO has stressed that the country is facing "a catastrophic humanitarian crisis" that affects six countries in the region. The humanitarian and health situation is serious, with threats of a measles outbreak and malnutrition in children. At least, 24 million people are in need of humanitarian aid, including 2.7 million internally displaced, while more than 750,000 people have fled Sudan, numbers that "grow every day" in the absence of an agreement to end the conflict.
Around the world, humanitarian assistance works tirelessly to save lives, provide emotional support and help rebuild communities. From doctors and nurses in war zones to volunteers in refugee camps, from non-governmental organizations to international agencies, each one plays a vital role in the global humanitarian response.
