LThe published figures concerning attacks against humanitarian actors must alert us. Despite significant efforts by humanitarian organizations, the number of incidents that deliberately target their teams is not decreasing. The annual report on humanitarian security concludes that, for the year 2022, a total of 444 aid workers were affected in the line of duty, of which 116 died.
The data also confirms the transfer of risk to national employees, who now represent 90% of victims. The report finally highlights another aggravating factor which is unfortunately familiar to me(1); the significant increase in kidnapping cases, which increase from 24 in 2002 to 185 in 2022; with an increase of 68 cases over this last year alone.
Hostile acts against humanitarian workers constitute major obstacles to the access, on the one hand, of humanitarian actors to the populations and, on the other hand, of the populations to the relief and protection guaranteed to them by international law. We need to address this problem more.
Strengthen the training of humanitarians
The risk management approach that prevails within the humanitarian sector focuses efforts on improving the internal procedures of humanitarian organizations relating to security. It also emphasizes the individual responsibility of humanitarians once they are deployed on a mission.
NGOs, United Nations agencies and the International Movement of the Red Cross and Red Crescent have thus for years had departments in charge of the security of their teams. All humanitarian workers, whether local or international, have received mandatory security training before their deployment on a mission, which is renewed at regular intervals.
While we must continue to strengthen the training of humanitarian workers – and in particular the national teams who are most at risk – we must also make the authorities more aware of international humanitarian law (IHL) and above all renew diplomatic efforts to strengthen the frameworks concrete protection measures on the ground.
A legal void that facilitates almost total impunity
Even if data collection is improving, it remains fragmented and does not cover the extent of the risks linked to the humanitarian profession throughout the world. A broader framework of analysis seems essential, which must include, beyond physical security breaches (arrests, injuries, kidnappings and murders), the trend towards the criminalization of the duty of assistance and, more broadly, solidarity actions.
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