UN officials demand accountability for escalating attacks on humanitarian workers

HAMILTON, Canada

Senior UN officials highlighted the dire risks facing humanitarian workers worldwide on Tuesday and urged immediate action to protect aid personnel and hold perpetrators accountable.

Describing the issue as "deeply personal," Lisa Doughten, director of the financing and partnerships division, Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told the Security Council that "over the years, many of us working for the UN or in the humanitarian sector, have lost colleagues and friends -- people who devoted their lives to supporting their fellow human beings in their time of need."

Noting the alarming rise in casualties, Doughten said 280 aid workers were killed in 2023 in 20 countries -- a 137% increase from the previous year.

"Much of the unprecedented surge in aid worker casualties is due to the situation in Gaza," she said, where more than 330 humanitarian workers, mostly UNRWA staff, have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023.

"These numbers signal a disturbing lack of regard for the lives of civilians and humanitarian and UN workers," Doughten said, urging the Council to take three critical actions: condemn attacks on aid workers, ensure accountability for violations and provide greater support for survivors.

She emphasized the need for "unequivocally rejecting and countering misinformation, disinformation and hate speech that targets UN and humanitarian organizations and staff."

"Please help protect my colleagues in Gaza," said Doughten. "Impunity for crimes against aid workers must end, and their voices deserve to be heard at the highest levels, including here in this chamber."

The call for accountability was echoed by Gilles Michaud, under secretary-general for safety and security at the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS).

Reflecting on the growing threats to UN personnel, Michaud said, "No person and no un colleague should have their life upended by conflict, and we cannot take their resilience for granted."

He highlighted the increasing complexity of UN operations, with humanitarian missions facing unprecedented levels of insecurity in high-risk areas.

Michaud cited the Gaza genocide as a stark example, where aid workers are enduring profound psychosocial tolls, including trauma and grief.

Expressing concern about impunity for violence against humanitarian workers, Michaud urged UN member states to fulfill their responsibilities to ensure the safety of personnel.

"This Council must reaffirm that this should not and will not be accepted," he said.

Reaffirming a plea for collective action to safeguard humanitarian workers, described as the "backbone" of global aid efforts, Michaud said: "We must do more to protect them better prepare them better, and support their recovery."