Ramesh Rajasingham, Head and Representative of OCHA Geneva and Director of Coordination Division, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), Remarks on World Humanitarian Day 2024 – Commemoration Ceremony

As delivered

Today's commemoration is one of profound pain for humanitarian workers.

As we have heard, the loss of every one of our colleagues is a life-changing event for their families, friends and colleagues, and for people who they are there to help.

Today, we are joined in feelings of injustice and senselessness - but there is also at the same time an enormous pride at the dedication to the humanitarian ideals and to a cause greater than all of us that they have shown in their lives.

This year's World Humanitarian Day we are also joined with a sense of profound alarm.

The protection of aid workers - and civilians in conflicts in general - is at its lowest point in history.

Last year, 280 aid workers lost their lives in 33 countries, making it the deadliest year on record for the entire global humanitarian community. Shockingly, this was twice as many deaths as the yearly average over the last 20 years.

Sadly, as you have also heard, this year may be on track to be the deadliest year even above last year. So far, we have lost 172 aid workers who paid the ultimate price – this can only be the result of an outrageous disregard for international laws and rules, and basic human decency.

Gaza stands out in its brutality. We have never seen anything like this before. As you have heard, since the beginning of the conflict, almost 300 aid workers have been killed in that small Strip alone. And as I have just heard today, they have also lost 135 of their children, and there is no anxiety as a parent more than that of your child wondering if you will be able to see them for dinner that night or the following morning or wondering why you didn’t protect them if something happens to them. And despite that, these super courageous colleagues in Gaza, who have been courageous in numerous conflicts, keep turning up for work to help their neighbours and affected populations.

But Gaza is not alone in this – lives are being lost in many of the vicious conflicts around the world.

This normalization of violence and the lack of accountability and impunity is unacceptable, unconscionable and enormously harmful for aid operations everywhere.

That is why at events here today and around the world, brave and dedicated humanitarians are standing in solidarity with every one of our colleagues working on the increasingly dangerous frontlines of humanitarian action.

We are saying enough is enough. We repeat this every year. This has to stop now. Civilians are not targets. Humanitarians are not targets.

And we are appealing to those who have responsibility and those who have power to act now to end the violations. To take steps to make sure that these violations end immediately. To act now to end the impunity with which these heinous attacks are committed.

We will never give up in search of this. We will never turn away from the people who need us.

The world needs this injustice and this impunity to be addressed so that we can keep assisting affected people on the front lines.

Thank you.