WORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY: ONE AID WORKER KILLED, INJURED, KIDNAPPED DAILY SINCE 2000 WITH 2025 WORST YEAR YET   

Toronto, August 19, 2025 – An average of one humanitarian worker has been killed, injured, kidnapped or detained every day since 2000, with 2025 on track to be the deadliest on record for aid workers, Save the Children said on World Humanitarian Day.

More than 8,500 major attacks on aid workers have been recorded since 2000, according to the latest data from the Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD). The data shows that it is becoming increasingly dangerous to be an aid worker, with the risks rising year after year – despite international law prohibiting attacks against humanitarian workers.

Last year was the deadliest on record for aid workers, with 383 people killed, including about 172 killed by this time last year. This prompted Australia–together with a handful of other countries–to draft the Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, underscoring the international community’s commitment to reverse the deadly trend facing aid workers.

However, despite the creation of the declaration, 2025 is on track to become the deadliest year on record, with 265 aid workers killed so far this year, up 54% from about this time last year, according to the provisional count from the AWSD.

The rise in deaths over the past three years is mainly driven by the war in Gaza, during which Israeli forces have killed 173 aid workers so far this year, surpassing the total number of all aid workers killed globally in 2022.

In the past five years, most major attacks against aid workers occurred in the occupied Palestinian territory, South Sudan, and Sudan, making these the most dangerous places for aid workers today.

Danny Glenwright, President and CEO of Save the Children Canada, said: 

“Every day, aid workers around the world put their lives on the line to help others—and every day, at least one of them is killed, injured, kidnapped, or detained. That’s more than 8,500 major attacks over the last 25 years. It’s unacceptable—and it’s getting worse. 

“We’re witnessing the collapse of protections that international law is meant to guarantee. Humanitarian workers are being targeted, and the world isn’t doing enough to stop it. The system meant to protect them is broken. 

“Last year, the international community came together and said: enough is enough. They signed a declaration to protect aid workers. But since then, the violence has only escalated. Declarations are meaningless if they’re not backed by action. 

 “Let’s be clear: attacks on aid workers are war crimes. And war crimes demand accountability. Canada has a role to play—we must stand up, speak out, and push for consequences when the rules of war are ignored, or we risk creating impunity.”

Save the Children is calling on all governments to demand accountability for every violation of international humanitarian law against aid workers—and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

All governments must also endorse the upcoming Australia-led Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, to demonstrate a global commitment to protect aid workers and uphold the laws of war.

END

The United Nations General Assembly set up World Humanitarian Day in 2008 and first commemorated it on August 19, 2009, to honor humanitarian workers and promote awareness of humanitarian efforts globally.

Notes to Editor:

·       “Major incidents” are defined as killings, kidnappings, detentions, and attacks that result in serious injury. Kidnappings and detentions are only included as a ‘major incident’ if the aid worker was held for more than 24 hours, as defined by the Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD).

·       Between January 2000 and August 2025, more than 8,500 major attacks against aid workers, according to data from the AWSD. That equals about 0.90 attacks against aid workers every day during this period.

·       As of 18 August 2025, 172 national aid workers and one international aid worker has been killed in oPt so far in 2025, according to AWSD.