According to the United Nations, there are 100 million people affected by natural disasters, conflict, hunger and disease.
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Zamboanga City joins the World Humanitarian Day celebration today with the theme “Inspire the World’s Humanity”, an opportunity to inspire and empower people around the world to get involved in demanding and creating a more humane world where there is a stronger commitment to life-saving humanitarian action. Intended “to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes, ” it has come to represent an opportune time to reflect on the dilemmas and challenges related to the security of aid workers”.
Oxfam believes that in order to help humanitarians do their jobs more effectively, we must change the system. Born somewhat in reaction to the institutionalized ICRC, Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) sought to extend the right to humanitarian assistance above and beyond borders, moved by an ethical imperative to save the lives of people in crisis situations even if it were to collide with the sometimes-competing concept of state sovereignty.
“Each one of us can make a difference”, Ban said.
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is mourning and cherishing colleagues in South Sudan who disappeared without a trace and “pay tribute to the many in WFP and across the humanitarian community selflessly striving day in, day out, to meet the pressing needs of the vulnerable, hungry poor in hotspots around the world.”, P>.
In 2014, 10 humanitarian workers lost their lives each month.
Dissemination of aid would not be possible without the dedicated humanitarian workers around the world.
Violence and insecurity hamper the delivery of aid in many of today’s crises.
“Their selfless efforts are an inspiration to us all”.
But the world simply has to do more – and urgently. The UN’s call this year for almost $20bn – a record high – to fund life-saving aid for more than 80 million people has met with less than 30% funding. It means many people will lose their lives due to lack of help. Participants will work to identify ways to close the yawning gap between need and resources and how we might strengthen the humanitarian system.
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“The families and communities struggling to survive in today’s emergencies do so with resilience and dignity”.
