Protect Aid Workers is a new mechanism, supported by GISF, that provides financial assistance to humanitarian workers in need. David Annequin, who leads the initiative, explains what has been learned so far and how you can help.
No safety net for aid workers
Aid workers on the frontlines of humanitarian action put themselves at risk every day. Some may be in conflict settings, where fighting puts them in danger of injury or death. Some may operate in insecure areas, where the risk of being kidnapped is high. And, some may work in countries where aid workers are under pressure and can be thrown in jail.
Fortunately, many aid workers are employed by large organisations which have the funding to support robust duty of care policies. But there is still a huge contingent of humanitarian workers, and their families, who are not so lucky. This is especially common among staff with local organisations that have limited resources. For them, there is a lack of safety nets. There is no mechanism that will swoop in and pay their medical bills or replace the salary lost during any absence from work.
Today, on World Humanitarian Day, we celebrate the incredible work of those on the frontlines in humanitarian contexts. But how can we truly celebrate aid workers if we do not support them? If we really value the contribution of aid workers, should we not also make sure we are there for them in their times of greatest need?
A new mechanism: Protect Aid Workers
This year, as we celebrate World Humanitarian Day, things are a bit different. This is because, for the first time, a financial mechanism has been established to ensure humanitarian organisations can receive funds to support their staff in the aftermath of a critical incident.
This mechanism was formed by a group of partners, supported by the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). With guidance and funding from DG ECHO, the Global Interagency Security Forum (GISF), Legal Action Worldwide (LAW), and other partners have created Protect Aid Workers. This new mechanism assists aid workers who have experienced incidents, are under immediate threat of harm, or have been arrested and/or are facing legal charges due to their work as a humanitarian.
Organisations can apply directly to Protect Aid Workers for funds to respond to an incident. By soliciting applications through trusted organisations, rather than individuals, Protect Aid Workers ensures that all cases can be validated rapidly. This allows aid workers and their families to receive assistance as soon as possible.
The funding for applicants varies based on the severity of each case, up to a maximum of €10,000. Eligible cases include: violence, causing injury or death; kidnapping or abduction; arrests, detention or legal action; and more. Funds are often used to pay medical bills, legal fees, or to support the family after an aid worker’s death.
Protect Aid Workers can also provide legal advice, thanks to the participation of LAW. This builds on LAW’s pioneering efforts to establish a telephone hotline, which aid workers can call for advice in situations of arrest, detention or other legal challenges as part of their work.
Case studies from Protect Aid Workers
Protect Aid Workers was established at the beginning of this year, so it is still very much in a testing and learning phase. Accordingly, the mechanism has been limited to the Middle East, North Africa and Southwest Asia so far.
Even with this restriction, the demand for the mechanism has been clear from the interest we have received. Despite only being open for applications since February 2024, we have already distributed 25 grants worth over €240,000.
Unsurprisingly, we have received a large portion of applications from Occupied Palestinian Territories. As a result, most of our grants so far have gone to aid workers and their families in this area. Sadly, most of these funds have been distributed in instances where aid workers have been killed. In these cases, the funds help families support themselves following the loss of income resulting from the death of the aid worker.
We have also received several applications from a country where there is ongoing repressive crackdown against civil society. In these cases, the funds supported staff who had been arrested. The money was used to pay legal fees, to support their families, or to help them access psychological services to recover from their experiences.
We have also supported a more unique case in another country, where an aid worker was killed by a landmine. Although the staff member was covered by insurance, this payment was not immediate, due to the paperwork and other bureaucratic elements required. Protect Aid Workers was able to provide funds to the aid worker’s family much more quickly, reducing the period in which they had to live without an income. This case demonstrates the unique power of the Protect Aid Workers mechanism – providing that rapid safety net for aid workers and their families in the immediate aftermath of an incident.
A critical need in today’s context
Having a rapid-response mechanism like Protect Aid Workers seems particularly important today, amidst a context of rising violence against aid workers. We know that 2023 was the deadliest year for aid workers on record. And 2024 is likely to come close to the same level.
This increasing violence against aid workers is being driven by several factors. Many regions where humanitarian workers operate are characterised by political instability and armed conflict. So, the expansion of humanitarian efforts into these more dangerous and inaccessible regions has increased exposure to risk. In some conflicts, humanitarian workers are intentionally targeted by armed groups as a strategy to disrupt aid delivery or to leverage political power. This violates international humanitarian law. In addition, humanitarian workers are sometimes victims of kidnapping, extortion, or robbery by criminal groups looking to exploit their perceived access to resources or financial gain. There is often a lack of accountability for these acts of violence against humanitarian workers. And this impunity can embolden perpetrators further.
In this difficult context, we only expect an increasing demand for assistance for aid workers and their families. Accordingly, we hope to expand the geographical scope of Protect Aid Workers in the near future. And we also hope to increase the offering of services and support we can provide.
But, even so, Protect Aid Workers has limited capacity to meet the expected demand – especially when most organisations and aid workers do not even know the mechanism exists.
How you can help
This World Humanitarian Day, we need your help to get the word out about Protect Aid Workers. The greater the awareness of the mechanism, the more likely it is that aid workers and their families will be able to apply for the support they need should they suffer a critical incident.
You can help Protect Aid Workers by spreading the word about it among your networks – especially those in local contexts. But, more importantly, you can support by applying yourself. If you know of an incident within your organisation or with a partner, please consider reaching out to us. As a new mechanism, we learn from every application we receive. And every application helps inform our future direction.
To apply please visit the Protect Aid Workers website. If you want to discuss your application before submitting, or are unsure of your eligibility, contact our team at hotline@protectaidworkers.org.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily represent the views or position of the author’s employers.
About the author
David Annequin has been working in the humanitarian sector for over 15 years. He has assumed roles with the French Red Cross, Solidarités International and Médecins du Monde. His experiences have taken him to Cambodia, Chad, Iraq, Laos, Myanmar and Pakistan. Since November 2023, David has been leading the Protect Aid Workers mechanism as its inaugural Programme Coordinator. If you have any questions or comments about Protect Aid Workers, you can contact David at director@protectaidworkers.org.
Banner image: Takaful Al Sham (via UN OCHA)
Related:
Protect Aid Workers website launched
Protect Aid Workers is a new mechanism, supported by GISF, that provides financial assistance to humanitarian workers in need