‘No Matter What’ Humanitarians United by a Shared Mission to Save and Protect Lives

By Boris Esono Nwenfor & Sonita Ngunyi Nwohtazie

BUEA, August 21, 2023 – World Humanitarian Day (WHD), held every 19 August, is an annual occasion to increase public awareness about humanitarian assistance worldwide. It is also an opportunity to commemorate humanitarian workers who have been killed and injured in the course of their work and to honour those who continue to take risks every day to provide life-saving aid to people in need.

Each year, World Humanitarian Day brings 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.

The theme for this year is “No Matter What”. Humanitarians are united by a shared mission to save and protect lives. They never compromise on humanitarian principles and always strive to make the best decisions for the people they serve. Humanitarian work is difficult and dangerous, but they don't give up on their commitment to overcome the challenges and deliver life-saving assistance to people in need no matter what.

“Last week we were in Wotutu (located in Buea, South West Region) to help a lady who gave birth; she did not have anything to pay as she is a single mother with four children. We paid her hospital bills and donated a few items for her child,” Nwanege Harriette Akuro, Executive Director, Her Strength Initiative said.

“This is just some of the activities we have been doing. We have been able to empower some youths, economic empowerment, skills acquisition, capacity building and advocacy in the humanitarian sector.”

First responders are at the heart of humanitarian responses

Humanitarian Coordinator in Cameroon, Matthias Z. Naab highlights that local actors, often first responders and at the heart of humanitarian responses, are critical to the success of humanitarian action.

"They provide an invaluable understanding of local challenges and potential solutions, can mobilize local networks, and offer greater access to affected populations, hence contributing to a more effective, efficient, and sustainable humanitarian response with an enhanced accountability to affected populations."

"As a woman, we are being shunned to the background, we are not allowed to fully express ourselves. As an organization with regards to the crisis, we are just being careful, sometimes you are not able to go deep into the rural communities," Nwanege Harriette Akuro, Executive Director, Her Strength Initiative added.

“Humanitarians should not give up despite the challenges faced. Passion is what keeps you going, why are you doing this? You are passionate about it. You want to be able to bring change in your community. Do not give up, keep pushing and fighting till you get there.”

Humanitarianism itself is now under attack

In 2022, 444 aid workers were attacked: 116 were killed, 143 were wounded and 185 were kidnapped. Of the aid workers who died, 96% were national staff and 4% were international (expatriate) staff - more than half (47%) were staff of national NGOs. Most of the violence took place in South Sudan, Mali and Myanmar. Data for 2023 in the Aid Worker Security Database shows that South Sudan has been the most dangerous place for aid workers for several consecutive years. Sudan is a close second (as of 17 August 2013.

In Cameroon, nine out of ten regions continue to be impacted by three complex, protracted, humanitarian crises caused by continuous violence in the Lake Chad basin, insecurity in the North West and South West regions, and the presence of over 325,000 refugees from the CAR in the eastern regions. In 2022. 3.9 million people need humanitarian assistance in Cameroon.

“This year, global humanitarian operations aim to get life-saving aid to 250 million people in 69 countries – ten times more than at the time of the Canal Hotel bombing,” António Guterres, UN Secretary-General said.

“Sadly, funding is far off track. As crises multiply, it is unacceptable that humanitarians are being forced to reduce aid to millions of people in need. Other challenges have also multiplied over the past twenty years. Rising geopolitical tensions; A blatant disregard for international humanitarian and human rights law; Deliberate assault and disinformation campaigns.”

“Humanitarianism itself is now under attack. But these tests have made the global humanitarian community stronger. Humanitarians – who are mostly national staff working in their own countries – are even closer to the people they serve. They are finding new ways to venture deeper into disaster-stricken regions, and closer to the front lines of conflict, driven by a single purpose: to save and protect lives.”

“On this World Humanitarian Day, we salute the courage and dedication of humanitarian aid workers everywhere. We reaffirm our full support for their determined and life-saving efforts across the world,” António Guterres added.