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By Robert Awokuse

Every 19th of August the United Nations recognizes contributions of humanitarian workers who provide services toward saving lives across the world.

The World Humanitarian Day though has been in existence for 11 years since it was inaugurated in 2003, this year’s commemoration however remains remarkable as the United Nations partners with the International Advertising Association (IAA) to recognize aid and health workers providing essential services, particularly at this period of the novel coronavirus which has claimed many lives and crippled economies of the world.

Recall that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been unprecedented increase of growing health crisis and needs which aid and health workers are delivering to the world’s most vulnerable people.

Recognizing the front liners in a campaign tagged #RealLifeHeroes, the UN, for the first time, identified with the IAA to act as the bridge to the marketing communication industry to help secure creative agency, develop strategy, creatives and provide connections for the campaign.

Reports show that last year was the most violent on record for humanitarians with 483 attacked, 125 killed, 234 wounded and 124 kidnapped.

Focus on this year’s World Humanitarian Day comes as the world continues to intensify effort to contain the dreaded disease.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA in collaboration with IAA present the inspiring personal stories of some of the #RealLifeHeroes who are stepping up to meet the challenges, particularly local humanitarian workers.

Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator said: “To humanitarians everywhere doing important, courageous work on the front lines we say Thank You.

“You are saving lives every day and as new challenges and crises are piling on to existing ones, your perseverance is an inspiration. Your protection is also paramount to making sure we can deliver to people most in need.

“The best way to pay tribute to humanitarians is by funding their work and ensuring their safety.”

Corroborating, IAA Chairman and World President, Srinivasan Swamy, said “there can be no supreme sacrifice than the work done by the healthcare workers. They know the extreme risk they take in assisting the humanity at times of health crises like the current one.

“IAA stands with them and want to offer respect and salute these extraordinary #RealLifeHeros.”

Also commenting,Managing Director, IAA Global, Dagmara Szulce, said “It was a privilege for the IAA to partner with the OCHA team and engage our members in the development and activation of the #RealLifeHeros campaign.

“More than ever, the industry needs to collaborate more closely together to demonstrate how advertising can be a positive force globally.”

Aid workers’ predicaments

The dedication, perseverance and sometimes sacrifice of these real-life heroes represent the best of humanity as they respond to the COVID-19 crisis and other challenges which have led to massive increase in humanitarian needs. These heroes bring food, shelter, health care, protection and hope to others amid conflict, displacement, disaster and disease.

But humanitarian workers are being tested like never before, struggling with unprecedented movement restrictions and insufficient resources as needs are outpacing funds. And all too often, they risk their own lives to save the lives of others.

In the past weeks alone, despicable attacks have killed aid workers in Niger and Cameroon and since the onset of the pandemic, scores of health workers have come under attack across the world.

According to Humanitarian Outcomes’ Aid Worker Security Database, major attacks against humanitarians last year surpassed all previous years on record.

A total of 483 relief workers were attacked, 125 killed, 234 wounded and 124 kidnapped in 277 separate incidents. This is an 18 per cent increase in the number of victims compared to 2018.

This is the 11th World Humanitarian Day, designated by the UN General Assembly. It falls on the day of the attack on the UN compound in Baghdad on 19 August 2003 which claimed the lives of 22 people including the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Since then, nearly 5,000 humanitarians have been killed, wounded or abducted, and the decade 2010-2019 experienced a 117 per cent increase in attacks compared to 2000-2009, a report by the UN states.

A surge in attacks against health workers was recorded in 2019, including strikes against medics in Syria and shootings of Ebola workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Most of the attacks occurred in Syria, followed by South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan and the Central African Republic. Mali and Yemen both saw a doubling of major attacks from the previous year.

The UN condemns these attacks and calls for accountability for perpetrators and justice for survivors.