Aqeel: There is a need to create a unified platform to follow up on the challenges facing humanitarian workers

Nurhan Mustafa: The warring parties have an obligation to protect humanitarian workers

At #, the International Day of Humanitarian Action celebrated on August 19 each year, the world remembers with reverence the humanitarian workers who have been killed or injured in the course of their work. The Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights praises the role played by all humanitarian workers, specifically medical staff who continue to support those affected by conflict, especially in the previous period, in which the challenges and difficulties increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2019, more than 20 thousand civilians were reported killed and injured in at least 10 conflicts only, and these conflicts severely affect children, women and persons with disabilities and the missing, as well as more than half of the food insecure people live in theaters of conflict, which requires More humanitarian support.

Ayman Aqil, head of Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights, confirmed that Covid-19 will cause a sharp increase in these numbers, especially with the escalation of the continuous attacks facing humanitarian workers.

He also expressed concern that 199 healthcare workers were killed in more than 1,000 attacks during 2019, a shocking increase compared to 2018.

Aqeel also called on the stakeholders of relief organizations - governmental and non-governmental - for the necessity of uniting efforts to create a unified platform aimed at following up the # challenges and planning to avoid the dangers facing humanitarian workers.

Meanwhile, Nourhan Mustafa, Director of the International Humanitarian Law Unit at the Maat Foundation, stated that the failure to cover the approved statistics of all those affected by the conflicts regarding the areas currently affected by Covid-19 within the circle of armed conflicts may impede effective dealing with developments in global situations, with the increasing concern about the real situations facing Civilians and humanitarian aid workers.

Mustafa called on the warring parties to commit to the protection of humanitarian workers, and to provide protection for medical and relief personnel and units that are currently working in the areas affected by the conflict.

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