Brussels: Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, has declared that 2024 marked the deadliest year on record for aid workers. In anticipation of World Humanitarian Day on August 19, Lahbib emphasized the critical role of the European Union as one of the leading global donors of humanitarian aid, which seeks to alleviate the suffering of millions in crisis zones around the world.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Lahbib expressed concern over the escalating disregard for International Humanitarian Law (IHL). She highlighted the growing number of targeted attacks on civilians and aid workers, as well as assaults on hospitals, schools, and other civilian structures, which are hindering access to essential aid. Despite the unchanged ‘rules of war’ established by the Geneva Conventions in 1949, Lahbib underscored that violations of IHL constitute crimes.
Lahbib reported that 2024 was unprecedented in its danger to aid workers, with 383 fatalities, 308 injuries, and 125 kidnappings recorded. She warned that with 265 aid workers already killed in 2025, the current year may surpass last year’s grim statistics. Lahbib called attention to the blatant violations of IHL and the widespread impunity for perpetrators, stressing that without accountability, the death toll among aid workers will continue to rise.
The commissioner also noted that while the humanitarian crises in regions like Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine have garnered significant global attention, numerous other crises persist out of the public eye, demanding urgent attention and action.