World Humanitarian Day: Unprecedented number of aid workers killed

Every year, World Humanitarian Day puts a spotlight on aid workers who are killed while responding to crises around the world. This year, the occasion is particularly sombre due to record numbers of humanitarians casualties in the past 12 months.

The vast majority of casualties are local aid workers responding to crises in their own communities, highlighting their central role in the humanitarian system. Other local responders – who aren’t necessarily counted as official aid workers – are also often on the frontlines.

In 2023, a record 280 aid workers were killed, 224 wounded, and 91 kidnapped across 33 countries. Of those killed, 163 were in Gaza in just three months – more than the deadliest year previously recorded globally, and nearly three times the death toll of any other conflict in a single year.

So far this year, 187 aid workers have been killed around the world, 68 kidnapped, and 101 wounded, according to the Aid Worker Security Database. Of the fatalities, 123 have been in Gaza.

Elsewhere around the world, aid workers – particularly local responders – also continue to face the dire consequences of conflict as violations of international humanitarian law persist.

In Yemen, 27 humanitarian workers have been detained by Houthi authorities since June 2024, held incommunicado and denied legal counsel. Amnesty International has condemned the kidnappings as part of a broader crackdown on the human rights and humanitarian community.

In Sudan – where at least 30 aid workers have been killed, wounded, or kidnapped this year – female aid workers remain at high risk of sexual violence, which has been weaponised by warring factions. The conflict in Sudan has led to the country’s largest humanitarian crisis, with high levels of food insecurity. International aid groups are struggling to respond, but communal kitchens have stepped up, providing meals and emotional support to hundreds of thousands in Khartoum.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 29 aid workers have been killed, injured, or kidnapped in the past two years. Official aid efforts are focused on IDP camps in Goma, but “undesignated humanitarians” are stepping in to support those in surrounding villages and towns. Host families have opened their doors, sharing their limited resources with those fleeing the conflict in North Kivu.

Frontline aid workers are enduring not only physical dangers but also significant mental strain, compounded by an aid system that lags in supporting their well-being.

According to expert Imogen Wall, poor management within aid organisations can be as damaging to workers' mental health as the traumatic experiences of war, hunger, and rights abuses. But, Wall emphasises, much of that mental toll could be mitigated if organisations adopt better practices.

For more, listen to our recent podcast with Wall:

What’s Unsaid | Aid worker trauma is preventable

What’s Unsaid | Aid worker trauma is preventable 

An aid worker and psychologist unpacks what’s really driving mental health trauma among humanitarians – and points to solutions.