NEW YORK – United Nations Secretary General António Guterres called for ending attacks on workers in the humanitarian domain and all civilians.
In a message on World Humanitarian Day on Monday, he said that wherever there is human suffering, humanitarian aid workers are striving to alleviate hardship and pain, UN News said.
Humanitarian operations coordinated by the United Nations provided life-saving aid to more than 140 million people last year, he added.
Aid workers, mostly national staff serving their own communities, persevered despite brutal violence, Guterres noted.
They continued their efforts to overcome all obstacles to supporting people in need — in the face of severe funding shortages, according to him.
“On World Humanitarian Day, we once again salute their courage, their determination, and their service to humanity.”
“And we recognize that honoring aid workers is not enough.”
Guterres added that 2023 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel.
In Gaza, in Sudan, and in many other places, humanitarian workers are being attacked, killed, injured, and abducted, alongside the civilians they support, he mentioned, adding disinformation campaigns spread lies that cost lives.
International humanitarian law – the law that protects civilians during wartime – is being ignored and trampled, he warned.
A climate of impunity means perpetrators do not fear justice.
This is a failure of humanity, responsibility, and leadership.
On World Humanitarian Day, we demand an end to attacks on humanitarians and on all civilians, he said.
He pointed out “We demand that governments put pressure on all parties to conflict to protect civilians.”
“We demand an end to arms transfers to armies and groups that violate international law.”
“We demand an end to impunity, so that perpetrators face justice.”
Celebrating humanitarians is not enough, he said.
“We must all do more to protect and safeguard our common humanity,” Guterres concluded.
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