According to the definition provided by the EU Council «Humanitarian aid consists chiefly of material and logistic support to people affected by man-made or natural disasters such as armed conflict, wars, drought, earthquakes, tsunamis and hurricanes», always respecting the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. It means that humanitarian workers provide different kinds of help: food and nutritional support, shelter, healthcare, water and sanitation, protection from physical and psychological harm, education in emergencies, cash-based assistance… In short, everything that contributes to saving lives, alleviating suffering and maintaining human dignity.
A key role is played by humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations, the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and the international or national NGOs, which provide aid thanks to funds received from mostly governments but also private actors. But we don’t have to think about these humanitarian organizations as something abstract: we’re talking about human beings who decide to help people who are living in a dangerous context, from wars to earthquakes. In times of war, attacks on humanitarian workers are a violation of international humanitarian law. Despite this, however, they continue to be victims of numerous attacks.
The extent of the jeopardy volunteers face during humanitarian operations is often not perceived. According to the Aid Worker Security Report (AWSD) of 2023, 444 aid workers were victims of major attacks in 2022: 116 of them were killed, 143 wounded and 185 kidnapped. It also showed that the most operational context for humanitarian workers is South Sudan, Followed by Mali, Myanmar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Central African Republic, Haiti and Burkina Faso.
There are several testimonies from volunteers who share their experiences, also highlighting their anxieties and concerns. Fear is a feeling that accompanies all aid workers, because they are aware of the dangerous situation in which they find themselves. Their strength lies in knowing how to manage it, in hiding it if necessary, but above all in transforming this fear into strength. These volunteers risk their lives to help others, receiving nothing in return but the gratitude of those who come to their aid. They do not take sides, but help those in need regardless of nationality, religion, gender, ethnic origin or political affiliation.
The importance of the role played by humanitarian workers is often overlooked: they act in the shadows, but they contribute to improving or even saving the lives of a huge number of people. In the movies or in the comics we can see these characters with incredible superpowers, who can fly or run faster than light. But perhaps we should open our eyes and realize that we also have superheroes in our reality, which are all those aid workers who risk their lives everyday and face their own fears and apprehensions for helping others.