World Humanitarian Day #WeAreHumanitarians
Protecting humanitarians means protecting all humanitarians
The number of humanitarians killed in 2023 set a shameful new record, but eight months into 2024 we already know that the number of deaths this year will be even higher. The world must act now to stop this horrifying trend, ensure that the rules of war apply equally to everyone and protect all those working on the emergency frontlines.
Everyday media headlines detail new crises around the world, but right now, when we need humanitarians more than ever, the job has never been so dangerous. Over the past year at least 280 people have been killed providing life-saving support. The global community’s response has been deafeningly silent, and perpetrators continue to enjoy immunity. The creeping normalisation of attacks on humanitarians, the daily brutalities against civilians and erosion of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) are a grave threat to us all - and to our humanity.
Of the 280 deaths, 163 were Palestinian humanitarian workers killed by Israel between 7 October and 31 December 2023 - a staggering number in less than just three months. Many of these killings appear to have been targeted attacks on first responders who were travelling to help casualties in clearly marked vehicles, including ambulances, or working in buildings protected under IHL, such as schools and hospitals. Global failure to condemn the killings of humanitarians in Gaza is undermining protection for humanitarians everywhere.
In Palestine, Sudan, and Ukraine we have also witnessed daily and brutal attacks on civilians and their towns and cities. These attacks have disproportionately killed, injured and impacted women, children and the most vulnerable in society. The world cannot let itself become numb to such horror and injustice.
““We have a situation of impunity, where any country or any armed group thinks that it can do whatever it wants, because there’s no accountability.” ”
Discussions around improving humanitarian protection are vital and it’s critical that they also address the additional risks faced by women’s rights and feminist organisations (WROs) - who work everyday on the frontlines of crises, yet whose contributions are routinely undermined and overlooked.
Before, during, and after disaster strikes women’s rights and feminist organisations provide essential services within their communities, including sexual and reproductive healthcare services and programs to prevent gender-based violence. Their work upholds and advances the rights of women, girls and people with diverse gender identities but they face resistance and backlash at the community, national, and international level.
There is a growing global pushback against the gender justice movement, with women’s bodily autonomy, LGBTQIA+ rights, refugee rights and efforts to promote diversity, equality and inclusion all under attack from far-right and conservative politicians and leaders. Feminist humanitarians include women’s human rights defenders, and their work inherently challenges the status quo and seeks to address inequalities and injustice by dismantling patriarchal, colonial and capitalist power structures. For their transformative work towards a better future for us all, they face increasing violence, attacks, and threats.
The Feminist Humanitarian Network’s calls to action this World Humanitarian Day:
Recognise WROs and feminist organisations as humanitarians. Acknowledge the critical humanitarian role they play.
Respect WROs and feminist organisations. Ensure they have their rightful seat at humanitarian decision-making tables and are leading humanitarian action.
Fund WROs and feminist organisations. Ensure they are adequately and sustainably resourced to defend the rights of women, girls and people with gender diverse identities.
Protect WROs and feminist organisations. Acknowledge the additional threats they face in doing their life-saving and critical gender justice work and ensure they can carry out their work in safety.
End impunity and ensure accountability for all violations of International Humanitarian Law.
End attacks on humanitarians and civilians.
To mark World Humanitarian Day 2024 the Feminist Humanitarian Network (FHN) has produced a short video to raise awareness of the critical humanitarian role played by WROs and feminist organisations on the frontlines called #WeAreHumanitarians.
The video features eleven of the FHN’s members from around the world who led the campaign to amplify the FHN’s collective call for World Humanitarian Day. Watch the video here and keep on reading to find out more about the featured members’ work, listed in order of appearance in the video.
Badabon Sangho is a grassroots women's rights organisation in Bangladesh. Badabon Sangho started its journey in 2016 in the southern region of the Rampal and Mongla, next to the Bay of Bengal and Sundarban (the largest mangrove forest) in Bangladesh. Badabon Sangho is a women’s rights and women-led group, working for lower-caste, Dalit, single mothers, separated, widows, divorcees, religious minorities, and girls. It is a non-profit and non-political organisation governed by group members and a federation. Badabon Sangho uses a feminist approach by engaging women who face the worst forms of violence and discrimination regarding land ownership. Their mission is to build capacity, improve women’s livelihoods and movement building, in order to challenge the social structural barriers that deny women’s rights.
Sawa Organisation is a leading Palestinian organisation founded in 1998, and is committed to providing support, protection, and social counselling to survivors of violence. It works to combat all forms of violence, abuse, and neglect against women and children, and it seeks to network with society and decision makers to spread human values and gender equality to create a dignified life and a safer society. Sawa operates a free telephone support line where trained volunteers and staff work to answer calls around the clock, it provides counselling services, medical and legal guidance to survivors of violence and operates a mobile clinic and outreach programs in different parts of the community. Sawa also provides training for law enforcement, school personnel and others working in the areas of domestic violence and abuse. You can read our interview with Ohaila Shomar, Director of Sawa Organisation here.
The Network of Women with Disabilities, Nigeria
The Network of Women with Disabilities is a Nigerian network, founded in September 2019. It currently has over 200 members all founded and owned by women with disabilities, and has reached out to 4000+ vulnerable groups through its projects, coordinating inclusive activities in Nigeria and around the world. The Network of Women with Disabilities works on a human rights-based model, which links gender and disability matters, ranging from political, civil, economic, social, sports, health and cultural rights. The network advocates for equal representation, non-discrimination and an inclusive society for women and girls with disabilities. It is also interested in creating greater awareness among governments and the public.
Focus Droits et Accès, Democratic Republic of Congo
Focus Droits et Accès (FDA) is a feminist organisation working in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The organisation works in some of the most difficult environments, particularly in Eastern DR Congo, in order to help people there who are experiencing crisis. Before, during and after emergencies, Focus Droits et Accès is present on the ground and strives to provide communities with vital aid and long-term assistance. As part of its mission Focus Droits et Accès responds to humanitarian crises caused by war, natural or man-made disasters, health emergencies and pandemics, as well as the adverse effects of climate change.
Institute for Young Women Development (IYWD), Zimbabwe
Founded in 2009 in Zimbabwe, the Institute for Young Women Development (IYWD) is a. feminist organisation with proven experience in promoting young women’s and women’s participation and leadership in order to inform and influence socio-economic and political decision making. Grounded in young women’s and women’s realities, IYWD collectively creates pathways to imagine a better future and position young women to lead their families, communities, their country, continent and the world at large. IYWD believes that crises can reveal opportunities to understand inequalities and rethink how to address them. Their response is rights, justice and solidarity centred, and aimed at addressing immediate impacts to affected young women and women, while simultaneously challenging structures and systems that perpetuate inequality and injustice.
Tewa Women’s Fund, Nepal
Tewa is a women’s fund based in Nepal. Tewa means “support” in Nepali. Tewa works to advance and empower women by fostering a culture of self-reliance through philanthropy and grant making to organised groups of women throughout Nepal. Tewa emphasises community philanthropy, capacity development, movement building, networking and collaborations with like minded organisations to create an equitable society. Tewa’s vision is of a country without discrimination and injustice, in which all women and girls live dignified lives where they exercise their rights, freedom and peace. Through funding and capacity development, Tewa supports women to organise, raise their voices collectively and transform discriminatory policies, systems, norms and practices. As an organisation, Tewa’s style is to be diverse and inclusive, non-hierarchical, transparent and accountable.
Community Empowerment for Peace and Development West Nile, Uganda
Community Empowerment for Peace and Development West Nile (CEPAD-WN) is a voluntary non-profit organisation dedicated to resisting violence, transforming conflicts, and fostering peace in communities. Established in 2014 as a Community-Based Organization by Ugandan peace and conflict feminist scholars with over a decade of experience in conflict zones, CEPAD-WN obtained registration as a Local NGO in 2021. CEPAD-WN actively engages in collaborative efforts within the humanitarian and development sectors. Since its inception, the organisation has partnered with civil society organisations, particularly youth, women, faith-based groups, refugee populations, traditional structures, and feminist and women's rights organisations in West Nile. Together, they work to transform conflicts and promote nonviolent, feminist, and democratic principles. Headquartered in Arua, Uganda, CEPAD-WN collaborates with vulnerable groups and partners nationwide to support individuals and organisations in acquiring the skills necessary to transform violent conflicts and bridge divides along ethnic, religious, and political lines.
Hawa Feminist Coalition, Somalia
Hawa Feminist Coalition is a Somalian non-governmental and non-profit feminist organisation founded by young feminists in 2018. It is the first and only young women and girls-led organisation grounded in principles of feminism in Somalia. Hawa works to promote the safety, equality, justice, rights, and dignity of young women and girls in order to achieve a country where women and girls are valued as equal members of their communities, live in dignity and enjoy all their rights on an equal footing with others. You can read our interview with Mariam Mohamed Hussein, Co-founder and Program Manager, Hawa Feminist Coalition here.
Women and Rural Development Networks (WORUDET), Uganda
Women and Rural Development Network (WORUDET) is a National women’s rights organisation that supports women and girls, particularly those affected by war and conflict, in Northern Uganda. Through programming and advocacy focused on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, climate change, economic empowerment, land rights, GBV programming, peace building, leadership and good governance, WORUDET strives to enhance overall well-being, improve health outcomes and facilitate connections to support networks for women and girls. WORUDET envisions a society where women and girls influence decisions in their homes and communities and live without poverty and injustice.
Asociación Civil de Planificación Familiar (PLAFAM), Venezuela
The Civil Association for Family Planning (PLAFAM) is a non-profit institution that has been operating in Caracas, Venezuela since 1986. PLAFAM’s main objective is to ensure human rights are upheld in the area of sexual health and reproductive health for adolescents, young people, adult men and women without discrimination. PLAFAM is a pioneering institution dedicated to family planning. Beyond contraception offered by traditional programs, it understands family planning as a human right of the individual and provides medical-assistance, psychological and technical services to make this right real and effective. It also offers educational services to empower people to make informed decisions so they can enjoy a healthy and pleasurable sexuality.
Fòs Feminista is an intersectional feminist organisation centred around the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, girls, and gender-diverse people. Together with local partners across the globe, Fòs Feminista engages in healthcare, education, and advocacy to advance their agenda. This includes providing sexual and reproductive health services and implementing community-based strategies that make sexual and reproductive healthcare more accessible to the most marginalised women and girls. Fòs Feminista also engages young people with comprehensive sexuality education and provides care to survivors of gender-based violence. We stand alongside our partners in the streets, in the courts, and in other advocacy spaces as an unapologetically feminist voice, resisting injustice and advocating for gender equality and reproductive rights locally and globally. Fòs Feminista carries forward its work with a vision to advance sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice through an intersectional feminist lens and a commitment to the leadership from the Global South.