World Humanitarian Day: Protecting people who deliver aid

On World Humanitarian Day, New Zealand Red Cross is supporting the global #ProtectHumanity campaign and standing alongside humanitarian workers who show up in the hardest moments to help others in conflict, disaster, and crisis.

The campaign calls for stronger protection for the people who deliver aid in dangerous conditions.

Across the world, aid workers are facing growing violence, increasing humanitarian need, and too little accountability for those who attack them. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) says the number of attacks on humanitarians are climbing, and 2025 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers worldwide.

Humanitarians are often amongst the first to arrive and the last to leave. They bring food, shelter, medical care, and comfort in the midst of crisis, often while working in dangerous conditions.

New Zealand Red Cross Secretary General Sarah Stuart-Black says humanitarian workers should never face violence when helping others.

“Every harm towards a humanitarian worker is an attack on people who play no direct part in the conflict and are protected under International Humanitarian Law. These are people who don’t take sides. They step forward in moments of fear, grief and crisis to provide comfort and essential support, they must be able to do that safely.”

She says local volunteers and employees are often the closest to danger.

“Local volunteers and employees are the heart of humanitarian response. They know their communities, they reach people fastest, and they keep showing up even when the risks are real.”

The IFRC says that last year, 99 percent of the 332 aid workers killed in violent incidents were local personnel - a stark reminder that the people closest to their communities are often the most exposed to harm.

Stuart-Black says the international community must not treat attacks on aid workers as inevitable.

“We cannot normalise attacks on humanitarians or accept a lack of accountability when aid workers are killed or injured. Their courage makes humanitarian action possible. The world has a responsibility to uphold the protections in International Humanitarian Law for humanitarians in every setting, every conflict and every crisis.”

New Zealand Red Cross is standing in solidarity with humanitarian workers everywhere and supporting the global #ProtectHumanity campaign, which calls for respect for international humanitarian law, prevention of further attacks, accountability for those responsible, and investment in the safety of humanitarian personnel.

World Humanitarian Day is a reminder that humanitarian action depends on people who keep showing up, even in the face of danger.