Protecting humanitarians from the harm of conflicts
More action, less rhetoric needed to safeguard the selfless who risk their lives to help others.
As the world commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, their implementation, member state commitment and growing risks to aid workers have gained renewed global attention. This is evident from reports detailing the global death toll of such workers and observations that 2024 has been their deadliest year.
In Africa, humanitarian workers are indispensable, evolving conflicts, compounded crises and systemic weaknesses having complicated the environment. Thus, the region contributes significantly to the global tally of aid worker deaths. Amid continued African Union (AU) calls for stakeholders and states to uphold international humanitarian law (IHL) and with the need to combat attacks with impunity against humanitarians, the escalating death toll highlights existing challenges.
These include the extent to which IHL principles are upheld or systemic problems in the nature of contexts in which humanitarians function. Questions arise about the extent to which continental policy to protect workers has moved beyond rhetoric in regional and continental policy circles into concrete action to achieve results.
Erosion of respect for IHL
As of November 2024, 281 aid workers had lost their lives globally. This has made 2024 the deadliest year on record, with Africa accounting for many casualties. The largest African toll ― about 46 ― has been in Sudan, one of the most dangerous destinations for relief workers. South Sudan followed with 39 fatalities, while the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Ethiopia recorded 16, 11 and 10 deaths respectively. Central Africa and West Africa have also reported concerning figures, with 14 killed, 13 wounded and 23 kidnapped.
The largest impact has been in Sudan, with 46 deaths making it one of the deadliest destinations
Most of these victims were local aid workers, whose proximity to conflicts makes them particularly vulnerable to excesses in these zones. Casualties reveal a troubling erosion of respect for international laws governing the operations of humanitarian workers. The rising trend is a direct reflection of not just the increasing dangers faced by these individuals but a failure to uphold IHL principles and the essential norms that underpin humanitarian action across the continent. It also points to the extent to which regions experience impediments to humanitarian response that prolong crises and suffering.
Africa’s unique challenges
African humanitarian workers face multifaceted issues centred largely around complexities in two areas. The first is the crisis driven by the conflicts in Sudan, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, the Sahel and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, among others. This is compounded by worsening political instability, climate-induced disasters in the Horn of Africa and post-Covid-19 economic volatility. These overlapping shocks have had a major impact on supply chains for goods and services, have exacerbated food insecurity and have effectively shrunk the operational aid-delivery space. As a result, humanitarian workers find themselves in environments where access to populations in need is difficult and their safety is under constant threat.
There is also the growing disregard for IHL and humanitarian norms by armed groups that do not feel bound by IHL treaties as states traditionally would be. The nature of warfare is also changing, with burgeoning militias and non-state armed groups on the continent, particularly in the Sahel. Across Africa, such groups often target aid workers deliberately as part of civilian attacks. They do this to secure a place at the negotiation table or because they view their victims as actors who might report their activities for post-conflict retribution. This implies that the nature of armed groups on the continent has contributed significantly to the erosion of internationally established protection for humanitarian workers, with dire consequences.
The inability of governments to protect civilians during conflicts has also often endangered aid workers. In most cases, even state security agencies either neglect their role of civilian protection or perform abysmally amid the strengths of the armed groups they encounter.
The inability of governments to protect civilians in conflict zones has often endangered aid workers
The absence of comprehensive data on the motives for attacks impedes understanding of the reasons for offensives and the capacity for regional and continental policy actors to develop effective mitigation strategies to protect civilians.
Response to IHL issues
Recognising the need to respond to protect humanitarian workers, the AU developed IHL-aligned policies. These include the AU Humanitarian Policy Framework of 2015, the Common African Position on Humanitarian Effectiveness adopted in 2016 and the Malabo Declaration of the 15th Extraordinary Humanitarian Summit in 2022. These are anchored on Article 3(f) Peace and Security Council (PSC) Protocol, which emphasises protection of human rights, preservation of the sanctity of human life and respect for IHL.
The PSC and AU leadership have also repeatedly highlighted the need for better protection of aid workers. Many African member states have also incorporated IHL principles into their national laws, demonstrating their commitment. Beyond that, efforts aim to reiterate commitment and promote continental IHL agendas. The AU Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development commemoration of World Humanitarian Day on 19 August, for example, demonstrated such commitment to preserving the humanitarian space. It raised awareness, fostered dialogue and promoted concrete actions to protect humanitarian workers across Africa.
Making IHL work in Africa
The implementation of these frameworks remains weak due to resource constraints, lack of political will and the disconnect between policy commitments and realities on the ground. Member states must urgently strengthen the implementation of the Geneva Conventions provisions, adapting them to modern threats. This will require robust security risk management strategies to mitigate danger to aid workers. These strategies could include collaboration with local communities to build resilient structures in conflict zones and, where permissible, community-based protection networks to support the work of relief workers.
Member states must urgently enact Geneva Conventions provisions, adapting them to modern threats
The PSC should invest in its humanitarian diplomacy by negotiating with conflict actors to prioritise the safety of humanitarian personnel. Accelerating the involvement of the African Humanitarian Agency is another priority as it will bolster coordination and response mechanisms.
Improving data collection and analysis through liaison with United Nations actors, Africa’s civil society and thinktanks will go a long way to enhance understanding of why aid workers are targeted. This knowledge will enable the development of focused policies and interventions that address the causes of threats and allow the PSC to explore sanctions against offending entities.
