UN Chief Urges World Leaders On World Humanitarian Day To Protect Aid Workers - Statement

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on world leaders and parties to conflict on World Humanitarian Day on Monday to guarantee the protection of humanitarian workers under international law and investigate and prosecute violators

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th August, 2019) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on world leaders and parties to conflict on World Humanitarian Day on Monday to guarantee the protection of humanitarian workers under international law and investigate and prosecute violators.

"World leaders, and all parties to conflict, must ensure that humanitarians are protected from harm, as required under international law," Guterres said in a statement. "Serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law continue around the world. They must be investigated and prosecuted.

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Monday marks the tenth anniversary of World Humanitarian Day and this year the holiday focuses on recognizing the efforts women humanitarian workers.

The World Humanitarian Day is commemorated each year on August 19 after a terrorist attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad on that day in 2003 killed 22 people, including then Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello.

According to the United Nations, more than 4,500 humanitarians have since been killed, injured, assaulted or kidnapped in the course of their duty.