a well dressed man stands at a podium and looks on at a desolate area, bombed, in utter ruins
Photo:United Nations

A Call to #ActForHumanity

On 19 August, we mark World Humanitarian Day — a time to honor those who step into crises to help others, and to stand with the millions of people whose lives hang in the balance.

This year the message is clear: the humanitarian system is stretched to its limits; underfunded, overwhelmed and under attack.

Where bombs fall and disasters strike, humanitarian workers are the ones holding the line keeping people alive, often at great personal risk. But more and more those who help are becoming targets themselves.

In 2024 alone over 380 humanitarian workers were killed. Some in the line of duty, others in their homes. Hundreds more have been injured, kidnapped or detained, and there is reason to fear 2025 could be worse.

Too often the world looks away, even when these attacks violate international law. The laws meant to protect aid workers are ignored. Those responsible walk free. This silence and lack of accountability cannot continue.

The system is failing not just humanitarian workers, but the people they serve. We’re not at a crossroads anymore. We’re standing at the edge. Needs are rising. Funding is falling. Attacks on aid workers are breaking records.

To pull us back from that edge, this World Humanitarian Day we’re relaunching #ActForHumanity with sharper urgency demanding protection, accountability and action.

It’s time to turn global outrage into real pressure on those in power, asking them to:

  • Protect humanitarian workers and the civilians they serve
  • Uphold international humanitarian law
  • Fund the lifelines we claim to support

If we can’t protect the people who save lives, what does that say about us? If we let this continue, we risk losing not just a system but our sense of humanity.

bright red background showing a map of earth inside a white heart stating 'World Humanitarian Day'

#ActForHumanity Campaign

Leaders ignored last year’s call. This year, we relaunch #ActForHumanity. Let's rally public pressure on those in power to uphold the laws that safeguard humanity, and to protect civilians and humanitarian workers in conflict zones.

Share the video to demand governments, parties to conflict and world leaders uphold international law, end impunity, and #ActForHumanity.

CALL TO ACTION: JOIN THE CAMPAIGN!

When protection is denied and accountability is absent, our voices and actions must fill the void. Aid workers keep going into danger, through checkpoints, under fire. They show up. So must we.

  1. Use your voice: Every post, tag and conversation build pressure for protection. Share, speak out and demand action using #ActForHumanity.
  2. Fund the lifeline: Humanitarians can’t deliver without safety or support. Help keep aid flowing and protect aid workers – especially local responders.
  3. Mobilize: Across cities, campuses and communities; people are taking a stand. Show leaders the world is watching.
  4. Create with purpose: Artists, storytellers, influencers – use your art, platforms and brands to stir emotion and inspire action. Make this message impossible to ignore.

Background

On 19 August 2003, a bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killed 22 humanitarian aid workers, including the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Five years later, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 19 August as World Humanitarian Day (WHD).

Each year, WHD focuses on a theme, bringing 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.

WHD is a campaign by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Related websites

Gaza's Silent Threat | Fighting disease during war | UNICEF

Humanitarian workers Dr. Younis R. Awadallah and Fairuz Abuwarda, together with their teams, UNICEF and partners, embark on the mission of a lifetime - vaccinating 600,000 children against polio in Gaza during a war.

Facts & Figures

Documents

Medical equipment is loaded into an aircraft in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of a UN “Solidarity Flight” to deliver supplies to African countries fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the purposes of the United Nations, as stated in its Charter, is "to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character."  The UN first did this in the aftermath of the Second World War on the devastated continent of Europe, which it helped to rebuild.  The Organization is now relied upon by the international community to coordinate humanitarian relief operations due to natural and man-made disasters in areas beyond the relief capacity of national authorities alone.

a city in utternm ruins and a car is trying to escape with people and items atop it

The 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview highlights the growing scale of crises and the urgent need to fully fund humanitarian action. Under the theme “Strengthening Global Solidarity and Empowering Local Communities,” it underscores the vital role of front-line responders and the unprecedented threats facing civilians and aid workers. With only 35% of the 2024 appeal funded, millions go without the help they need. The Overview presents global trends, humanitarian responses, and the devastating human cost when resources fall short amid conflict and climate disasters.

an abstract illustration of people engaged in an event

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances.