By Fatima Saka
On Monday, August 19, 2024, Nigeria, alongside the rest of the world, will commemorate World Humanitarian Day (WHD). This global event serves as a tribute to the dedication and risks faced by humanitarian workers worldwide, Zubaida Umar, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, emphasizied in Abuja on Sunday.
WHD was established by the United Nations Assembly in 2008 to coincide with the anniversary of the 2003 bombing of the United Nations Headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq. It is a day dedicated to honoring those who have been injured or lost their lives while carrying out humanitarian duties.
The theme for this year’s WHD is #ActForHumanity, emphasizing the collective action required to safeguard humanitarian workers who come under attack while providing crucial assistance to vulnerable populations.
The primary objective of this year’s celebration is to intensify efforts to address the normalization of attacks on humanitarian workers, civilian suffering, and the disregard for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and other international agreements.
According to the DG NEMA, we echo the call for global leaders to ‘Act For Humanity’ by leveraging public pressure to mobilize Member States and non-state entities to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and civilians.
“We aim to harness our collective public outcry to demand accountability for violations of IHL and other international standards. It is imperative that those responsible for the alarming surge in attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers worldwide are held accountable for their actions.
“While expressing our appreciation for our staff and all humanitarian workers in Nigeria who continue to risk their lives to provide life-saving aid to disaster-affected individuals, we pay special tribute to our fallen heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We also remember those who have been kidnapped, injured, and exposed to significant dangers while carrying out their duties.
“This World Humanitarian Day, we urge the Government, corporate entities, and all concerned citizens to unite in condemning attacks on humanitarian workers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure.
“It is crucial for everyone to support the #ActForHumanity campaign by upholding IHL, which aims to safeguard humanitarian workers, civilians, and civil infrastructure globally.”
