Humanitarians are heroes — and WORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY is our time to recognize their incredible efforts.
The path to an abundant future is paved by humanitarians. WORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY was created to honor the selfless actions of those humanitarians who risk their lives every day to ensure children and people in need have access to life changing resources. United in their shared mission to save and protect lives no matter what, humanitarians must often work under challenging circumstances, sometimes in areas stricken by violence; relying on temporary peace agreements and humanitarian corridors to safely evacuate or deliver resources.
Although agreements are made between parties involved in areas of conflict and humanitarian organizations, it doesn't always guarantee safety. On August 19, 2003, tragedy struck the United Nations headquarters in Iraq, when their building was bombed. 22 humanitarians lost their lives. World Humanitarian Day was established after this horrific event — to honor the victims and celebrate the never-ending, selfless work of our humanitarian heroes.
Unfortunately, violence continues to threaten humanitarians. A report from the United Nations disclosed over 400 humanitarians were attacked, over 100 killed, and over 100 kidnapped across various organizations throughout 2022. Increased funding for humanitarian organizations is needed to protect workers so they can continue to create positive change for our world.
Despite the purpose of governments and institutions for ensuring the safety and health of civilians; many regions around the world need extra help to combat hunger and violence. Over the past two years, the number of people worldwide in need of humanitarian assistance has been raised to 63%. As of 2022, one in 29 people are in critical need of humanitarian assistance — whether that is to be relocated to safety or given resources for basic survival. This concerning number reflects the ongoing climate crisis and violence that permeates various countries around the world.
Places like the Horn of Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia) face wide-scale malnourishment as a result of unprecedented dry seasons. Pakistan needs urgent assistance after devastating floods. And countries such as Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan, Yemen, and Syria need aid to support civilians living among extensive violence from war and political unrest. An estimated 360 million people across these regions need humanitarian assistance. More detail on the world’s most pressing humanitarian issues today can be reviewed here.
Humanitarians act as a beacon of hope for people living in danger and uncertainty — helping refugees reconnect with family, providing medical care, ensuring access to education, and helping to distribute food and water for survival.
With so many people in critical need of humanitarian assistance, it’s more important than ever that we work together to support humanitarians and address our time’s most pressing issues. Many organizations rely entirely on generous donations — with VAKOVAKO, you can easily support them with one tap of your finger.
You too can be a humanitarian — donate today to be a harbinger of hope for the world.
