Protecting Those Who Protect: A Joint NGO Statement for Humanitarian Workers' Safety
We must protect those who protect. In 2025, at least 1,187 humanitarian workers were affected by major security incidents, 350 were killed. Humanitarian workers save lives, relieve suffering and defend human dignity every day. But who is protecting them?
Ahead of the International Conference on the Protection of Aid Workers, co-hosted by the European Commission and the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) on 15 – 16 October, VOICE and 67 NGOs and networks call on the EU and its Member States to seize this pivotal moment to turn commitments into action.
Two years after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2730 and one year after the launch of the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, signed by all EU Member States, the protection of humanitarian workers remains an urgent priority. More recently, the EU's Joint Communication on humanitarian aid has placed the protection of humanitarian workers at the heart of the EU's humanitarian policy. The scale of the challenge is stark. According to the 2026 Aid Worker Security Report, in 2025, at least 1,187 humanitarian workers were victims of major security incidents, including 350 killed – the secondhighest toll ever recorded. National staff bear the brunt of these attacks, representing in 2025, 96% of those affected. The Conference must serve as a catalyst for concrete steps to stop and reverse this trend.
VOICE and 67 NGOs and networks urge the EU and its Member States to:
- Ensure accountability for violations of International Humanitarian Law and address the politicisation of humanitarian action by:
- Defending humanitarian principles
- Upholding IHL, fighting impunity and strengthening humanitarian diplomacy
- Countering harmful information
- Enable a funding and partnership environment that protects humanitarian workers by:
- Addressing risk transfers and supporting humanitarian actors to improve Security Risk Management
- Investing in Duty of Care and inclusive data systems
The cost of inaction is measured in lives. The EU and its Member States must act to protect those who protect millions. Read our joint statement and discover our recommendations: https://bit.ly/4yHTAcX
