: What is World Humanitarian Day? World Humanitarian Day focuses on humanitarian aid workers and the humanitarian cause. In December 2008, the General Assembly determined that World Humanitarian Day should be marked on 19 August every year to:

1. Contribute to 2. Commemorate all 3. Remember those who increasing public awareness humanitarian and United have lost their lives in the about humanitarian work Nations and associated course of duty. and the importance of personnel who have worked international cooperation. in the promotion of the humanitarian cause.

Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad, Iraq, 19 August 2003 Twenty-two humanitarian aid workers, including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Sergio Vieira de Mello, died as a result of a bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad on 19 August 2003. Five years later, the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation prepared draft resolution A-63-L.49 to be adopted by the General Assembly, proposing the designation of 19 August as World Humanitarian Day. The Canal Hotel bombing irreversibly changed the security situation in which humanitarian aid workers operate. In the past, aid workers were respected, not OCHA on Message on OCHA targeted. The politicization of humanitarian aid and the perception that it is delivered exclusively by Western organizations or agencies has resulted in an increase of targeted attacks on humanitarian personnel. This affects the quantity or quality of assistance that beneficiaries receive.

World Humanitarian World Day What is OCHA’s role? The principal promoter of messages, posters, a important role in World Humanitarian Day is media advisory, a filmed disseminating news of the Inter-Agency Standing statement by the relevant events via Committee (IASC), which Secretary-General and a professional and requested that OCHA take promotional film. personal networks the lead in the preparations Wherever possible, including Twitter and for the event. The day is not humanitarian aid workers Facebook. Resources to about individual agencies are encouraged to support this work can be but humanitarian work. advocate World found on the World Humanitarian Day. The Humanitarian Day working group counts on website. OCHA’s promotion activities their support to mobilize for World Humanitarian Day the media and others in include: their respective Chairing the World countries. OCHA staff

Humanitarian Day members are invited to Working Group, formed organize local initiatives by the IASC principals. and events with local Developing and humanitarian partners disseminating all publicity in their countries on materials including World Humanitarian leaflets, a questions-and- Day. On a more answers sheet, a security individual level, staff trends fact sheet, key members also play an

“People who have lived through What does OCHA say? terrible events are often left with 1. World Humanitarian 3. Humanitarian aid 4. The best way to ensure nothing. … Day is about humanitarian workers are national and humanitarian aid workers work: the collective work international, male and can fulfill their mission is by Humanitarian and partnerships, and the female, and reflect all improving awareness of and workers help them humanitarian principles cultures, ideologies and respect for the principles on get back on their behind it. backgrounds. Their which aid work is conducted: feet to restart their motivations for humanitarian humanity, impartiality, work are diverse, but all aid neutrality and lives. Aid workers 2. Humanitarian aid workers are united by their independence. are the envoys we workers strive to ensure that commitment to send to show our all those who have humanitarianism. experienced a traumatic . solidarity with event and need life-saving suffering. They assistance receive it, represent what is regardless of where they are best in human in the world and regardless of their religious/social group nature. But their or nationality. work is dangerous. Often, they venture to some of the Case Study most perilous Earthquake, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 12 January 2010 places on earth. And often, they pay The Haiti earthquake was the worst in the Caribbean in more than 200 years. Almost a heavy price. immediately after the earthquake, aid workers on the ground began delivering relief. This was despite rubble blocking the streets, the collapse of most United Nations … On World headquarters buildings, and a complete lack of electricity and telecommunications. Humanitarian Day, Within one week of the earthquake, more than 1,700 search-and-rescue experts were let us remember on the ground in Haiti, with coordination and support provided by the United Nations. those in need. … One hundred and one United Nations staff members lost their lives in the earthquake Those who have and during its aftermath. These individuals were from all levels of the organization. fallen while trying They included drivers, election experts, interpreters and seven of the mission’s 10 political officers. The President of the General Assembly, Ali Abdussalam Treki of to help them.” Libya, remarked in his eulogy on 9 March 2010: “In the midst of such suffering, the - Ban Ki-moon, tragedy in Haiti did not spare those who had volunteered and had come from so many 1 United Nations different countries to help the people and Government of Haiti.” Nonetheless, in the Secretary-General, days and weeks after the earthquake, the relief effort reached many of the 3 million Message on World Haitians in need of assistance. The Haiti operation was one of the largest and most Humanitarian Day, complex launched in recent years. 19 August 2010 1www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/americas/10nations.html

To find out more

Contact: www.worldhumanitarianday.info David Ohana, General Assembly resolution A-63-L.49 Film and Special Projects Unit [email protected]

Mar 2012

OCHA on Message is a reference product that enables staff to communicate OCHA’s position on key issues. For more information contact the Reporting Unit at [email protected].