UNIS/SGSM/1610
18 August 2026
On World Humanitarian Day, we honour the dedicated workers who provide life-saving aid to millions in need.
We also confront an appalling truth:
Serving others has become more dangerous than ever.
More than a thousand humanitarians have been killed in the last three years.
Most were local staff supporting their own communities.
Countless others narrowly survived being shot at, shelled, bombed, kidnapped, or raped.
Schools and hospitals are coming under fire.
And new tools of war – including armed drones – are posing fresh risks.
At the same time, disinformation is eroding trust.
Humanitarian funding is being cut.
And humanitarian access is being restricted.
We see aid convoys blocked.
Aid workers threatened, arrested, and detained.
And people in desperate need left without support.
Attacks on humanitarian workers are illegal.
And the consequences are devastating.
For families struggling to survive.
Children waiting for food.
Patients seeking urgent care.
And so many more.
The world has made commitments.
Now it must act:
To respect the rules of war;
Ensure safe access;
Hold perpetrators accountable;
And provide sufficient resources.
Humanitarian workers stand up for people in need.
We must stand up for them.
We must act for humanity – now.
* *** *
The thirteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) will be held from 19 to 23 October 2026 at the Vienna International Centre, Austria.
The Fifteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice concluded today with more than 60 countries agreeing time-bound actions to strengthen criminal justice responses, expand access to justice and improve international cooperation to tackle global crime threats.
The Fifteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice opened today with the adoption of the Abu Dhabi Declaration, a forward-looking global framework to strengthen international criminal justice cooperation against fast-evolving crime challenges and exploitation of digital technologies.
"It's time to choose dialogue over division, diplomacy over confrontation, and disarmament over destruction. States that possess nuclear weapons must honour their disarmament obligations and commit to the total elimination of nuclear weapons." — António Guterres
