World Humanitarian Day: ICN deplores record number of attacks against humanitarian workers
On World Humanitarian Day, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has expressed its horror for the continuing rise in fatalities of health care workers. The latest figures, published today by the Aid Worker Security Report, show that 861 aid workers were victims of major security incidents in 2024, with 383 fatalities reported across 27 countries – a new record death toll for aid workers.
The 2024 annual report of the Safeguarding Health Care in Conflict Coalition also reported an increase in attacks, identifying 3,623 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in conflict in 2024, marking a 15% increase from 2023 and a 62% rise from 2022.
Reiterating the emergency resolution of ICN’s 2025 Council of National Nursing Association Representatives (CNR), ICN President Dr José Luis Cobos Serrano said:
“ICN strongly condemns all attacks on nurses, other health professionals, patients, and health care facilities in conflicts and wars that are violations of fundamental human rights and international humanitarian law, and cause devastating and long-lasting impacts on health systems.
We commend and stand in solidarity with nurses and other health care workers who continue to provide care under the most dangerous and difficult conditions. No health, care or aid workers should have to fear for their lives while performing their duty. No patient should be under threat while seeking care.
This is an abomination and we stand in solidarity with the United Nations who are relaunching the #ActForHumanity campaign to put public pressure on those in power to uphold the laws that safeguard humanity, and to protect civilians and humanitarian workers in conflict zones. I will be writing to UN Secretary General António Guterres to express our support for his call for all parties to uphold their obligations under international law, an immediate permanent ceasefire, and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”
Howard Catton, ICN CEO, added:
“In recent weeks, we have spoken directly with nurses in conflict zones who have told us of the sheer brutality of the injuries people have suffered. Many of the victims are women and children and it is incomprehensible and inhumane that these attacks continue. We must not forget just how traumatising it is for individual nurses and other health workers to continually witness and treat victims. We have a duty to report on and share the horrors of these attacks. If we don’t, we are complicit with normalizing these abhorrent situations. ICN continues to stand in solidarity with nurses and other heath workers and call for an end to attacks on health care.”
As a founding member of the World Professions Alliance, ICN has joined humanitarian and health organizations to call on governments, donors, and the international community to urgently:
- Protect health professionals and humanitarian personnel as required by international law.
- Increase funding for health services.
- Strengthen health systems to withstand shocks from conflicts and disasters.
With the escalation of conflicts and humanitarian crises that threaten the work and the lives of nurses around the world, ICN’s humanitarian work has taken an increasingly central role in ICN’s work. ICN’s Humanitarian Fund and #NursesforPeace campaign support nurses working in these dangerous and difficult conditions, and draw public attention to the associated threats to public health care systems. Through its dedicated humanitarian efforts and funding, ICN has already supported nurses in multiple crisis zones, including Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Sudan. ICN is also working in partnership with humanitarian organization Direct Relief, an established charity that works to equip health professionals in resource-poor co communities to meet the challenges of diagnosing and caring for people in need. The partnership with Direct Relief has significantly expanded ICN’s humanitarian initiatives and enabled regular engagement with NNAs in crisis-affected regions, providing valuable insights into the challenges faced by nurses and health care systems, and enabled ICN to target support with positive results. ICN’s efforts are centred on addressing the immediate needs of nurses and health care systems, while laying the groundwork for sustainable, long-term resilience. Read the latest update of ICN’s humanitarian work here.
In response to the severe humanitarian crisis and widespread starvation escalating rapidly throughout Gaza, ICN recently called on all governments and relevant authorities to facilitate immediate and unimpeded aid and humanitarian access to the region.
Last year, WHPA wrote an open letter calling for the safeguarding of health care facilities and personnel in areas of conflict, in accordance with international law. The letter is supported by health professionals in 76 countries and territories worldwide, including leaders of national health professions’ associations, senior staff at health facilities, leading academics, and top-level representatives of governments and international health NGOs. WHPA continues to collect signatures to reinforce the message that health professionals and health facilities are not a target and that any misuse of health care facilities or ambulances for military purposes also constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law.
World Humanitarian Day is marked on 19 August, the day in 2003 when 22 UN aid workers were killed in an attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq. The activity brings together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers. It is organized by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).