2023 marked the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers, with a grim possibility that 2024 could be even worse. As violence against aid workers escalates, the world faces a harsh reality: it is failing those who risk their lives to serve the most vulnerable.

Despite international laws meant to protect civilians and humanitarian personnel during armed conflicts, violations persist unchecked, leaving aid workers increasingly exposed to life-threatening risks. The tragic toll of these violations underscores a glaring failure of global leadership and the urgent need for accountability.

The statistics are staggering. In 2023, the Aid Worker Security Database recorded hundreds of attacks resulting in at least 270 deaths among aid workers, with many others wounded or kidnapped. The trend has only worsened in 2024, with the deliberate targeting of humanitarian convoys, hospitals, schools, and other protected entities reaching unprecedented levels.

In Gaza, South Sudan, Yemen, and the Central African Republic, aid workers have become targets in strategic assaults by armed actors, fueled by disinformation and hostility. The consequences are devastating—not only for the workers themselves but also for the millions of civilians who depend on their assistance.

Particularly alarming are the attacks in the occupied Palestinian territories, where at least 284 humanitarian workers have died since October 2023. In Ukraine, the Russian Federation’s strikes on medical facilities, including a June 2024 attack on a children’s hospital in Kyiv, have claimed countless lives and further strained the country’s embattled healthcare system.

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Sudan’s internally displaced persons (IDP) camps are another flashpoint. Repeated attacks by the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces on civilian infrastructure, including IDP sites, have pushed the Zamzam camp into famine conditions. Similar violations are reported across conflict zones in Syria, Ethiopia, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The impact on civilians is profound. Hospitals and clinics are being destroyed, access to medical care is severely restricted, and children’s education is disrupted by attacks on schools. The future prospects for countless communities are dimmed as these essential services are obliterated.

This World Humanitarian Day, observed annually on August 19th, the global community must confront these harsh realities. The 2024 campaign, #ActForHumanity, calls for an end to these violations and demands that those responsible for attacking aid workers and civilians be held accountable. As we honor the humanitarian workers who have lost their lives, we must also commit to protecting those who continue to serve, often in their home countries and at great personal risk.

The world cannot afford to stand by in silence. Attacks on humanitarian workers and civilians must not be normalized. It is time to act with renewed vigor to safeguard those who dedicate their lives to alleviating suffering and restoring hope in the world’s most dangerous places.