The United Nations reported on Friday that a record 281 humanitarian workers lost their lives globally in 2024, calling for accountability for those responsible.
According to a press release from the UN, 2024 has become “the deadliest on record for humanitarian personnel,” referencing data from the Aid Worker Security Database.
“Humanitarian workers are being killed at an unprecedented rate, their courage and humanity being met with bullets and bombs,” said Tom Fletcher, the newly appointed UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
The British official emphasized that “This violence is unconscionable and devastating to aid operations,” asserting that “States and parties to conflict must protect humanitarians, uphold international law, prosecute those responsible, and call time on this era of impunity.”
In 2023, there was already a record-high toll, with 280 humanitarian workers killed across 33 countries.
The UN noted that the ongoing genocidal aggression in Gaza has significantly contributed to these figures, with over 320 humanitarian staff members killed worldwide since October 7, 2023. Many of these individuals lost their lives while providing humanitarian assistance, primarily employed by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which has seen more than 200 employees killed since the conflict’s onset in Gaza.
However, the threats against humanitarian workers extend beyond Gaza. The UN highlighted that “high levels” of violence, kidnappings, harassment, and arbitrary detention have also been reported in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan, among other regions.
Most of the humanitarian personnel killed were local staff working with NGOs, UN agencies, and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
The UN explained that violence against humanitarian staff reflects “a broader trend of harm to civilians in conflict zones,” noting that last year saw “over 33,000 civilian deaths recorded in 14 armed conflicts, marking a 72% increase compared to 2022.”
