World Humanitarian Day is observed on August 19th, and is a day on which people and organizations advocate for the safety and security of humanitarian and medical workers, and for the dignity, survival and well-being of people everywhere affected by crises. It began in 2008, after Sergio Viera de Melio, the United Nation’s top representative in Iraq, was killed when a terrorist attack hit UN headquarters in Baghdad. Twenty-two people were killed in this attack. Five years later, the UN adopted a resolution designating August 19th as World Humanitarian Day. The crisis in Syria is a tragic example of how innocent civilians and humanitarian aid workers can both become targets of a violent war. The war and unrest there has caused, among other things, a severe refugee crisis where so many Syrians have been uprooted from their homes and forced to emigrate, many losing their lives in the process.
Civilians, missionaries, and humanitarian aid workers caught in the midst of conflict should not be seen as targets. These people are risking their lives for others, and should be guaranteed safety. It is important to spread awareness because it helps protect your missions teams if they suddenly find themselves in the middle of an armed conflict. The Secretary-General of the UN has called for respect for international humanitarian and human rights laws and for the protection of civilians, humanitarians, human rights law and civilian infrastructure. Click here to see all the documented incidents involving humanitarian and aid workers.
The 2017 World Humanitarian Day call-to-action is #NOTATARGET. Ministries, churches, missionaries, and mission sending organizations can help promote World Humanitarian Day by sharing #NOTATARGET on all of their social media channels. There is also a petition you can sign to tell world leaders that you, “stand in solidarity with the millions of people caught in armed conflict”. —worldhumanitarianday.org
There are organizations that have the experience, resources, and training to get involved in humanitarian aid during civil unrest, but most organizations are ill-equipped for these situations. There are, however, situations in which a ministry or outreach group is serving in an area that may unknowingly become involved in a armed conflict. The threat of an attack is why we recommend those traveling or living overseas, especially in a strife-torn country, have an international medical insurance plan in place to help mitigate injuries or tragic occurrences. However, this benefit does not cover an act of terrorism in any country or location where the United States government has issued a travel advisory that has been in effect within the six months prior to the insured person’s date of arrival. Click here for the full plan details.
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