Aid workers, targets of rising violence that has killed nearly 800 of them in the past dozen years worldwide, were honored for the first time on Wednesday in a special day proclaimed by the United Nations.
World Humanitarian Day was marked on the sixth anniversary of the truck bombing of the then UN headquarters in Baghdad, which killed 22 people including special UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello of Brazil.
Last year, a record 260 humanitarian aid workers from different agencies and charities were victims of kidnappings and attacks worldwide, including 122 who were killed, according to the United Nations.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute to the aid workers, as he inaugurated the first observance of World Humanitarian Day.
Mr. Ban placed a floral wreath before a memorial plaque in the U.N. lobby and then observed a minute of silence to honor those killed in the bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad six years ago, which led the UN to substantially reduce its mission in Iraq.
About 90 percent of staff in the field are locals, UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes pointed out.
They were often able to work in greater safety in conflict zones than foreign staff who might be associated with foreign forces there or foreign political interests.
– But we need to make sure that we do not treat our local staff as expendable, which they are not, Holmes said.
In the last three years, attacks on all staff have risen by 61 percent and the annual average is now almost three times higher than it was nine years ago.
Despite having to work in crisis situations, many aid groups have said they are not having difficulty retaining their employees.
Even after having to pass on the news that their colleagues had died in the Canal Hotel bombing, Elaine Caux of the the UNs High Commission for Refugees said she did not consider quitting her job.
– It is a dilemma for aid workers, if we do not do our work there will be thousands of refugees and displaced people who might not survive, and at the same time you, of course, want to preserve your life, she said.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
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