World Humanitarian Day 2023; August 19th.

FORUM: “No matter what.“ World Humanitarian Day 2023. Today, 20 years on, the UNOCHA work has grown in scale and complexity to help almost 250 million people – 10 times more people than in 2003. As their efforts have grown, they face several challenges. From rising geopolitical tensions and the blatant disregard of international humanitarian law, to deliberate attacks and disinformation campaigns, our work is more difficult and dangerous than ever. Amid these trials they have grown stronger, and they became closer to the women, men and children they serve. Their ventures deep into disaster-stricken regions and closer to the front lines of conflict with no other purpose than saving and protecting lives and delivering the basics of life: food, water, shelter, education, health, nutrition and protection. To learn how aid workers come together in a collective effort to help others. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #Nomatterwho, #Nomatterwhere, #NoMatterWhat, #19 August; #WorldHumanitarianDay.

Statement by the United Nations Secretary-General for World Humanitarian Day 2023; August 19th.

This year’s World Humanitarian Day marks the 20th anniversary of the deadly attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad.

On that dark day, we lost 22 colleagues, including Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello.

That tragedy marked a change in the way humanitarians operate.

Because today, although humanitarians are respected around the world, they may also be targeted by those who would do them harm.

This year, global humanitarian operations aim to get life-saving aid to 250 million people in 69 countries – ten times more than at the time of the Canal Hotel bombing.

Sadly, funding is far off track. As crises multiply, it is unacceptable that humanitarians are being forced to reduce aid to millions of people in need.

Other challenges have also multiplied over the past twenty years:

Rising geopolitical tensions;

A blatant disregard for international humanitarian and human rights law;

Deliberate assault and disinformation campaigns.

Humanitarianism itself is now under attack.

But these tests have made the global humanitarian community stronger.

Humanitarians – who are mostly national staff working in their own countries – are even closer to the people they serve.

They are finding new ways to venture deeper into disaster-stricken regions, and closer to the front lines of conflict, driven by a single purpose: to save and protect lives.

On this World Humanitarian Day, we salute the courage and dedication of humanitarian aid workers everywhere.

We reaffirm our full support for their determined and life-saving efforts across the world.

We celebrate their unwavering dedication to serve ALL people in need:

No matter who, no matter where; no matter what.

Thank you.

António Guterres.

EVENTS: This year celebration takes place on Saturday 19th August. To mark the World Humanitarian day 2023, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs launches a one-week campaign to honour humanitarian workers. Under the theme “No matter what”, On this WHD, we will reaffirm our commitment to the values and humanitarian principles that guide us and show that we stand shoulder to shoulder with the communities we serve.

Wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Baghdad bombing.

Wreath-laying ceremony to honour colleagues who lost their lives at the Canal Hotel, Baghdad. Watch it in streaming!

Annual observance of World Humanitarian Day at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.

World Humanitarian Day is an opportunity to pay tribute to colleagues who have lost their lives in humanitarian service and to honour the thousands of aid workers who continue to provide much needed support to people suffering from conflicts or disasters across the world. As the world's humanitarian capital, Geneva plays a central role in bringing together partners to ensure an effective humanitarian response. Watch the Livetream!

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS

No matter where; No matter who; No matter what.

World Humanitarian Day 2022; August 19th.

FORUM:  It takes a village. World Humanitarian Day 2022.

The 2022 WHD campaign shines a light on the thousands of volunteers, professionals and crisis-affected people who deliver urgent health care, shelter, food, protection, water and much more.

For this year’s WHD, we will use digital art to tell the stories of people in need and those who help them. At the centre of the campaign is a series of beautifully illustrated aid worker profiles that show the breadth and depth of humanitarian work and collectively symbolize the wider humanitarian village. Follow the conversation with the hashtags #worldhumanitarianday; #19August; #ItTakesAVillage

Conflict, climate change, a pandemic, hunger, displacement... Never has the world seen such complex megacrises. Yet there is a group of people who never give up easing suffering and bringing hope.

EVENTS: Day of Remembrance on the 19th Anniversary of the bomb attack on UN headquarters in Bagdad.

The 19th anniversary of the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad will be observed on Friday, 19 August 2022 with a brief ceremony organized by the Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service and DMSPC. The ceremony also marks the observance of World Humanitarian Day designated by the General Assembly in 2008 to honour humanitarian aid workers who have been killed or injured in the course of their work.

 

World Humanitarian Day 2016, August 12.

世界人道主义日, 8月19日.
World Humanitarian Day. 19 August.
Día Mundial de la Asistencia Humanitaria, 19 de agosto.
Всемирный день гуманитарной помощи,19 августа.
Journée mondiale de l'aide humanitaire, 19 août.
اليوم العالمي للعمل الإنساني, 19 آب/أغسطس

 



2016 Theme: One Humanity.
Thème 2016 : Une Humanité.
Tema 2016: Una humanidad.
Тема 2016 года: Единое человечество.
 2016年主题： 同一人类.
موضوع 2016 هو "إنسانية واحدة"

Statements by the United Nations  Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon on World Humanitarian Day 2016, August 19.

 

A record 130 million people are dependent on humanitarian assistance to survive.  Grouped together, these people in need would comprise the tenth most populous nation on Earth.
These figures are truly staggering, yet they tell only a fraction of the story.  Hidden behind the statistics are individuals, families and communities whose lives have been devastated.  People no different to you and me: children, women and men who face impossible choices every day.  They are parents who must choose between buying food or medicine for their children; children who must choose between school or working to support their families; families who must risk bombing at home or a perilous escape by sea. 
The solutions to the crises that have plunged these people into such desperate hardship are neither simple nor quick.  But there are things we can all do – today, and every day.  We can show compassion, we can raise our voices against injustice, and we can work for change.
World Humanitarian Day is an annual reminder of the need to act to alleviate the suffering.  It is also an occasion to honour the humanitarian workers and volunteers toiling on the frontlines of crises.  I pay tribute to these dedicated women and men who brave danger to help others at far greater risk.
Today, I urge everyone to sign on to the United Nations “World You’d Rather” campaign.  As well as raising awareness and building empathy, the campaign has a concrete goal: to raise money for the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund and to enrol the support of individuals everywhere as Messengers of Humanity.  We need everybody to demand that their societies and governments put humanity first. 
Earlier this year, 9,000 participants gathered in Istanbul for the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit.  World leaders committed to transform the lives of people living in conflict, disaster and acute vulnerability.  They rallied behind the Agenda for Humanity and its pledge to leave no one behind. 
This promise is also at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals.  With their focus on human rights, resilience and poverty eradication, these 17 global goals offer a 15-year plan to reduce needs and vulnerability and promote a world of peace, dignity and opportunity for all.  To succeed on this collective journey, we need everyone to play their part.  Each one of us can make a difference.  On this World Humanitarian Day, let us unite in the name of humanity and show that we cannot and will not leave any one behind.

Ban-Ki moon, United Nations Secretary General.

Forum : World Humanitarian Day- 19 August

Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations.

World Humanitarian Day is a day dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes.

What can you do?
WHD is a day for everyone to come together and take action for a safer and more humane world for the communities affected by crisis and the people who devote their lives to helping them. Here are a few ways you can get involved:

• Learn about the Agenda for Humanity and the five core responsibilities
• Use the #sharehumanity hashtag to advocate for the Agenda for Humanity and the more than 130 million people affected by crisis
• Attend or organize a WHD event on 19 August

What we do in Emergencies?

                               

The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three 'L3' emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system's classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises.  In addition, OCHA is coordinating the reponse to other critical emergencies.


YEMEN, Humanitarian  Aid Assistance

 Armed conflict has spread rapidly across Yemen since March 2015, with devastating consequences for civilians. Aid groups estimate that 4 in 5 Yemeni require some form of humanitarian protection or assistance. OCHA Yemen>>



Iraq, Humanitarian Aid Assistance

The surge in violence between armed groups and government forces has displaced an estimated 3.4 million people across Iraq and left millions of people in need of assistance. OCHA Iraq>>

Syrian, Humanitarian Aid Assistance

 13.5 million people, nearly half the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance. An estimated 6.6 million people have been displaced inside the country. OCHA Syria>>

Events :
Events will be held around the world on 19 August to honor the work of humanitarian workers and to celebrate the theme of ‘One Humanity’. In New York, a wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the United Nations headquarters, and a high-level event will be held in the General Assembly Hall.

Digital Campaign :
 In addition a digital campaign will be launched on the day to raise awareness of the impossible choices that people caught in crisis face.



The UN's Agenda for Humanity

The UN's Agenda for Humanity outlines the collective actions that we need to take to create a safer and more humane world.

 This World Humanitarian Day (19 August) support the Agenda for Humanity and ask world leaders to do the same: www.unocha.org/whd2016

#ShareHumanity



Prevent and end conflicts - AGENDA FOR HUMANITY

Photo Exhibitions :
World Humanitarian Day will also feature photo exhibitions and film screenings documenting the lives of those affected by conflict and disaster.

For more information, please visit: www.unocha.org/whd2016.



Humanitarian Aid Delivery by the World Food Programme

News : Commitments to support people affected by crisis and ensure that aid workers can safely and more effectively deliver to those in need. World Humanitarian Summit 2016
Human Security Strategic Plan 2014-2017.
UN Emergency Fund allocates US$50 Million to Neglected Aid Operations to Assist Two Million People in Dire Need
Africa: War On Climate Terror (II) - Fleeing Disasters, Escaping Drought, Migrating

 Related Links :

• World Humanitarian Summit
• USG Statements and Speeches
• Agenda for Humanity
• Impossible Choices
• The World You’d Rather
• Humanitarian Film Festival

Publications : Global Humanitarian Overview 2016

"Donor support in the first half of 2016 has enabled us to deliver critical, life-saving relief. It is now incumbent on us to do substantially more to invest in the lives of millions of people bearing the brunt of crises around the globe. Their needs cannot wait."

— Stephen O'Brien
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

A consolidated appeal to support people affected by disaster and conflict.

For 2016, the humanitarian community needs $20.1 billion to provide aid for 87.6m people.

Emergency Response Plans

RESPONSE PLANS AROUND THE WORLD

RESOURCES
 

 Proclamation of the World Humanitarian Day

 Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Delivering Humanitarian Aid

Humanitarian News and Analysis (IRIN)

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)

UN World Food Programme (WFP)

UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

UN Children's Agency (UNICEF)

World Health Organization (WHO)

Remember the Fallen

Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation

ReliefWeb Developing Four Mobile Apps

 

World Humanitarian Day 2015, August 19.

世界人道主义日, 8月19日.

Всемирный день гуманитарной помощи,19 августа.

World Humanitarian Day, August 19.

Día Mundial de la Asistencia Humanitaria,19 de agosto. 

 Journée mondiale de l'aide humanitaire,19 août.

اليوم العالمي للعمل الإنساني ,19 آب/أغسطس

2015年的主题：激励世界人道精神.

Тема Дня 2015 года: «Станьте проводником идей гуманизма»

2015 Theme: Inspiring the World's Humanity.

Tema 2015: Inspirando la humanidad mundial.

Thème 2015 : Inspirer l'humanité

 موضوع 2015: إلهام إنسانية العالم …

 

United Nations Secretary-General's Message for the World Humanitarian Day 2015.

On World Humanitarian Day, we honour the selfless dedication and sacrifice of workers and volunteers from around the world who devote themselves – often at great personal risk – to assisting the world’s most vulnerable people.
This year, more than 100 million women, men and children need life-saving humanitarian assistance.  The amount of people affected by conflict has reached levels not seen since the Second World War, while the number of those affected by natural and human-induced disasters remains profound. 
On this Day we also celebrate our common humanity.  The families and communities struggling to survive in today’s emergencies do so with resilience and dignity.  They need and deserve our renewed commitment to do all we can to provide them with the means for a better future.
Each one of us can make a difference. In a world that is ever more digitally connected, each of us has the power and responsibility to inspire our fellow human beings to act to help others and create a more humane world.
On this World Humanitarian Day I urge everyone to show solidarity as global citizens by signing up to the #ShareHumanity campaign.  By donating your social media feeds for just one day you can promote humanitarian action and help to give a voice to the voiceless by sharing their stories of crisis, hope and resilience.
Next May, Istanbul, Turkey, will host the first World Humanitarian Summit.  The Summit will provide a platform for Heads of State and Government and leaders from civil society, the private sector, crisis-affected communities and multilateral organizations to announce bold new partnerships
and initiatives that will vastly reduce suffering and at the same time reinforce the 2030 agenda
for sustainable development.
I count on the support of all sectors of society to make the World Humanitarian Summit
a success.  Together we can and must build a more humane world with a stronger commitment
to life-saving humanitarian action.

Ban Ki-moon, United Nations.

Statement from The Executive Director Ertharin Cousin, World Food Programme on the World Humanitarian Day 2015.

As the World Food Programme marks August 19 as World Humanitarian Day – the 12th anniversary of the tragic deaths of 22 colleagues in the bombing of the United Nations office in Baghdad – we mourn and cherish those members of our own family taken from us. Over the last year, four of our colleagues in South Sudan have disappeared without a trace. We have searched relentlessly for news of their whereabouts, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.  After many months, we must sadly conclude that they are no longer alive.

Our thoughts are with their families. We will remember their dedication, compassion and courage.

As we honour the recently fallen, we also pay tribute to the many in WFP and across the humanitarian community selflessly striving day in, day out, to meet the pressing needs of the vulnerable, hungry poor in hotspots around the world. With 80 percent of humanitarian work now in countries and regions affected by conflict, the task of giving life-saving assistance is increasingly, for too many colleagues, life-threatening.

Today, too often, feeding the hungry demands unlimited courage and boundless commitment from those on the front line. Humanitarians, including our WFP colleagues, must be fearless. I am honoured to say I work with 14,000 of the bravest, hardest working people on earth. During my tenure as WFP Executive Director, I’ve witnessed their personal sacrifices, shared their tears and personally witnessed the losses. Just a few days ago, I stood in the ruins of a colleague’s home in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a.
As securing the access we need to provide impartial assistance becomes increasingly difficult in places like Yemen and South Sudan, more is asked of humanitarian actors than ever before. We thank all those who serve for the inspiration they give all of us every day.

  Ertharin Cousin, World Food Programme.

 

Statement by Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director, UNFPA. World Humanitarian Day is observed on August 19, 2015.

Nearly 60 million people are forcibly displaced by conflict, war and persecution, the largest number since the United Nations was created 70 years ago in the ashes of the Second World War. And due to climate change, the frequency and severity of natural disasters is increasing, with more than 400 disasters last year alone.

Today on World Humanitarian Day, we express strong solidarity with the women, men, youth and children who are suffering from humanitarian emergencies worldwide. And we salute the humanitarian workers who strive to meet their needs and uphold human rights and dignity. UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, joins the #ShareHumanity campaign to tell the stories behind humanitarian crises.

Zainab and Nigo, were abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria, but managed to escape. Their courage has been an inspiration to others. “Despite the fear, I did not lose hope,” Nigo said. In Afghanistan, Zarmina was abducted and forced into sexual slavery. Then, her mother organized to rescue her. UNFPA supports survivors like Nigo, Zainab and Zarmina, as we work to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. UNFPA also works closely with community members, who are often the best, most knowledgeable emergency responders.

Sita Paudel, a paralegal in Nepal, survived the devastating earthquake, and knew she had to take action. She became an organizer, bringing aid to remote villages and taking vulnerable women and girls to UNFPA-supported services. “I know how bad the situation is for women out there,” she said. In Colombia, Viviana was displaced by violence and became pregnant while still a teenager, and went on to become a youth leader. While fleeing Syria, Amir was shot and even declared dead. But he survived and is a volunteer at a UNFPA-supported centre.

UNFPA works to provide sexual and reproductive health services to ensure safe birth even in the most difficult circumstances. Chantal walked for four days to a refugee camp after fleeing Burundi. “I had expected the worst to happen,” she said. Instead, she gave birth safely at a maternity centre. Isra'a, a Syrian refugee, lost her baby when she could not afford the medical bills. But today, she is pregnant again and receiving care through UNFPA. To escape floods in Malawi, Alimanda climbed high into a tree when she was eight months pregnant. She survived and later gave birth to a healthy baby girl.  In Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam, Katherine Silas sought family planning, so she could make her own choices and plan for the future. In Liberia, Comfort Fayiah gave birth in the rain, on the street, to twins, as Ebola overtook health workers, hospitals and clinics. UNFPA is working with partners to build sustainable and resilient health systems.

Today on World Humanitarian Day, and every day, UNFPA stands strong for the human rights and inherent dignity of every human being. To improve humanitarian effectiveness, we call for increased action and funding for sexual and reproductive health services, for tackling gender-based violence, and for the meaningful participation of affected populations, especially women and young people.


Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA.

 Forum : World Humanitarian Day- 19 August.
 #SHAREHUMANITY and join all the people who have already donated their feeds

Serving the-needs of people In conflict

 

Humanitarian effectiveness

 

Reducing vulnerability and managing risk

 

Transformation through innovation

 Links :

World Humanitarian Day 2015 : UNOCHA Regional Office for the Pacific Op-Ed

Inspiring the Pacific’s humanity – World Humanitarian Day 2015

Humanitarian Videos beta v. 2: More than 3,000 humanitarian videos now available on ReliefWeb

Remember the Fallen  : Latest Casualties: January - December 2014
 Here we remember those often forgotten – those who have died in the service of the United Nations – the fallen.

Resources

• World Humanitarian Day website
• Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
• UN Humanitarian Affairs
• Humanitarian News and Analysis (IRIN)
• Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)
• UN World Food Programme (WFP)
• UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
• UN Children's Agency (UNICEF)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation

World Humanitarian Da 2013, August 19.

"The World needs more..." is the the for World Humanitarian Day 2013

 World Humanitarian Day is also an opportunity to celebrate the spirit that inspires humanitarian work around the world. Each year, aid workers and their organizations support tens of millions of people who have been affected by war, disaster or the crises that flow from poverty, inequality and underdevelopment.

Join the Forum : World Humanitarian Day- 19 August
Watch Observance of the World Humanitarian Day 2013 around the World.

 

What are Humanitarian Principles?

 All OCHA activities are guided by The four humanitarian principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. These principles provide the foundations for humanitarian action. They are central to establishing and maintaining access to affected people, whether in a natural disaster or a complex emergency, such as armed conflict. Promoting and ensuring compliance with the principles are essential elements of effective humanitarian coordination. The humanitarian principles are derived from the core principles, which have long guided the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the national Red Cross/RedCrescent Societies.The principles’ centrality to the work of OCHA and other humanitarian organizations is formally enshrined in two General Assembly resolutions. The first three principles (humanity,neutrality and impartiality) are endorsed in General Assembly resolution 46/182, which was adopted in 1991. This resolution also established the role of the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC).General Assembly resolution 58/114 (2004) added independence as a fourth key principle underlying humanitarian action.


The General Assembly has repeatedly reaffirmed the importance of promoting and respecting these principles within the framework of humanitarian assistance.

Commitment to the principles has also been expressed at an institutional level by many humanitarian organizations. Of particular note is the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and non-governmental organizations in disaster relief. The code provides a set of common standards for organizations involved in humanitarian activities, including a commitment to adhere to the humanitarian principles. More than 492 organizations have signed The Code of Conduct. Also of note is the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response elaborated by the Sphere Project.The humanitarian principles have practical operational relevance. Humanitarian action almost always takes place in complex politicaland militarized environments. Adherence to the principles is therefore critical in order to distinguish humanitarian action from the activities and objectives of political, military and other actors. Promoting humanitarian principles and, importantly, ensuring that humanitarian organizations act in accordance with them are key to gaining acceptance by all relevant actors on the ground for humanitarian action to be carried out. This acceptance is critical to ensuring humanitarian personnel have safe and sustained access to affected people. Sustained access is, in turn, crucial for strengthening the implementation of the humanitarian principles. For example, it allows humanitarian actors to directly undertake and monitor the distribution of assistance to people, thus ensuring that aid is distributed impartially and reaches those most in need.

What is OCHA’s role?

 OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate principled humanitarian action. OCHA promotes the humanitarian community’s compliance with humanitarian principles in every humanitarian response. It does this by promoting practical compliance measures within a Humanitarian Country Team through its engagement with State and non-state actors at all levels,and by undertaking and contributing to policy development within the United Nations.

What does OCHA say?

1. Humanitarian principles govern humanitarian actors’conduct.

2. Humanitarian actors must engage in dialogue with all parties to conflict for strictly humanitarian purposes.This includes ongoing liaison and negotiation with non-state armed groups.

3.Our compliance with humanitarian principles affects our credibility, and therefore our ability to enter into negotiations with relevant actors and establish safe access to affected people. However, it is not enough to repeatedly recite humanitarian principles. Rhetoric must be matched by leadership and practice. In other words, humanitarian actors must “walk the talk”.

4. There are multiple pressures on humanitarian actors to compromise humanitarian principles, such as providing humanitarian aid as part of efforts to achieve political ends. Maintaining principled humanitarian action in the face of these pressures is an essential task, but not an easy one.

World Humanitarian Day 2012 Theme: "I Was Here"

2012 Theme: "I Was Here"

World Humanitarian Day is a time to recognize those who face danger and adversity in order to help others.
The day was designated by the General Assembly to coincide with the anniversary of the 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 UN staff.

Every day humanitarian aid workers help millions of people around the world, regardless of who they are and where they are. World Humanitarian Day is a global celebration of people helping people.
This year’s campaign "I Was Here" is about making your mark by doing something good, somewhere, for someone else.
To show your support for World Humanitarian Day visit www.whd-iwashere.org