August 19, 2021 —  On this World Humanitarian Day, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) celebrates humanitarians around the world working to support vulnerable people and to protect our planet. We honour humanitarian workers - including IRC staff - who offer lifesaving support in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Yemen, the Sahel region and in other crisis zones around the world through selfless action. 

As the humanitarian situation rapidly deteriorates in Afghanistan, humanitarians have been working on the ground throughout the crisis. Their work has proven remarkably effective. Last year they reached nearly 12 million people with assistance in each of the country’s 401 districts. The IRC has been in Afghanistan for the past three decades, as war, recurrent natural disasters, chronic poverty and now Covid continue to be a deadly combination for its people. 

In recent years, we have witnessed unprecedented violence against humanitarians, human rights activists and civilians. These attacks represent the dangerous reality for those who dedicate their lives to serve others. In the past year, the IRC has lost four colleagues in the course of doing their jobs. 

Melanie Ward, UK Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee, says:

“Today, we honour the incredibly brave work of humanitarians across the world, putting their lives at risk every day to support those whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by conflict and disaster. We remember those who have lost their lives doing this vital work, especially our IRC colleagues.

“In this age of impunity, aid workers and civilians have increasingly become victims of conflict, in defiance of international law. This must change; aid workers should never be a target.

“In Afghanistan, as the situation continues to deteriorate, the IRC is committed to staying and delivering much-needed humanitarian aid. The severity of the situation brings new urgency to ensure all Afghans in need of aid can be reached — and yet the humanitarian response remains just 38% funded. It is vital that the international community recognise their duty to step up their support”. 

This year’s World Humanitarian Day theme is the climate crisis. Humanitarians’ work across the world has significantly been impacted by the climate emergency that is dramatically worsening the situation for populations living in conflict or disasters affected countries. 

In Afghanistan, even before the current crisis, millions were at risk of displacement as the country faces extreme drought. With 80 percent of the population relying upon rain-fed agriculture and cattle-grazing for their incomes, livelihoods are set to be decimated as a drastic decrease in rainfall has caused food and water scarcity across the country. It is vital that the international community recognises and responds to this modern face of the humanitarian crisis that sees COVID, climate change and conflict all interact to exacerbate existing humanitarian needs. 

The work of our humanitarians has never been more challenging.

Over the summer, Bangladesh has experienced severe flooding, creating mudslides in Cox’s Bazar, in which several Rohingya refugees lost their lives, including an 8 year-old boy. IRC teams worked around the clock to assess the extent of the damage and offer support to people who lost their homes. Such emergencies are likely to become more common and severe as climate change takes hold.

Jipshe Barua, Child Protection Case Worker at the IRC, working in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, refugee camp home to 870,000 Rohingya refugees, says:

“Working as a humanitarian, every day we have to face new challenges. Whether we are tackling conflict and violence, the Covid crisis or climate change’s impact on vulnerable populations, I am always reminded of the impact and importance of our work. 

We’ve had back to back disasters, with the recent floods which have affected 80,912 people. Monsoon rains have caused intense flooding and deadly mudslides in Cox’s Bazar, tragically claiming the lives of many Rohingya refugees. When shelters are destroyed and families displaced, women and girls are at increased risk of violence. These climate crises are happening too often as climate change becomes a growing concern across South Asia.”