UN: More than 140 aid workers killed in 2021

The United Nations has mourned the deaths of more than 140 aid workers in 2021 amid mounting crises around the world.

On the occasion of World Humanitarian Day (August 19), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement that over the past year, more than 460 aid workers have been victims of attacks.

More than 140 aid workers have been killed in attacks, the highest number since 2013, citing humanitarian outcomes data. All but two were national staff, highlighting the dangers often faced by domestic help workers, OCHA noted.

In the same period, 203 aid workers were injured and 117 abducted, the same source said, adding that 44 aid workers have been killed so far this year.

“Humanitarian needs have never been greater and aid workers are working in increasingly dangerous environments,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths said in a press release.

“As we celebrate World Humanitarian Day, we pay tribute to all aid workers who work in dangerous conditions to help those in need, as well as to the memory of those who lost their lives in the line of duty,” he said. continued.

To mark Humanitarian Day, OCHA on Friday launched a week-long campaign to honor aid workers. Under the theme #ItTakesAVillage, the campaign focuses on how aid workers come together in a collective effort to alleviate dire needs.