Justice and Accountability for Attacks Against Humanitarian Personnel: A Call for Legal Action and Accountability

Brussels, 3-4 February– A critical workshop, organized by Protect Humanitarians and Legal Action Worldwide (LAW), addressed the growing threats to humanitarian aid workers globally and identified concrete ways forward. The event, “Justice and Accountability for Attacks Against Humanitarian Personnel,” brought together more than 40 humanitarian NGOs, UN, legal professionals, member states, and key stakeholders to discuss the urgent need to strengthen legal protection, demand accountability, and explore avenues for legal remedies for survivors and victims of violence against aid workers.

In her opening remarks, Executive Director Antonia Mulvey highlighted the need to focus on justice and accountability for victims and survivors of attacks. She emphasized a survivor-centered approach, recognizing the unique challenges survivors face, and emphasized that LAW is actively pursuing legal action against perpetrators, achieving success even in challenging legal environments. Mulvey also pointed out that impunity breeds more violence, perpetuating a cycle of harm, which further underscores the need for legal accountability.

Aid workers from Sudan, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Palestine provided compelling testimony about the attacks they and their colleagues endured. These attacks not only breach international humanitarian law but also undermine the core principles that guide global relief efforts. Legal protections must extend beyond humanitarian workers to encompass the organizations they represent, ensuring they can continue their life-saving work without fear of violence or retribution. The dialogue further reinforced a survivor-centered approach, recognizing the critical role of survivors’ perspectives in shaping effective legal strategies and ensuring justice is delivered in a manner that meets their needs and expectations.

Recommendations were identified in six key areas:

1. Ensuring meaningful participation of victims and survivors.
2. The need to increase legal aid and services.
3. How to improve investigations and prosecutions.
4. Advocacy on the implementation of the UN Secretary General’s recommendations on UN Security Council Resolution 2730.
5. Addressing arrest and detention cases.
6. Creating opportunities for collaborative research and training.

LAW extends its gratitude to Olivier Vandecasteele, Director of Protect Humanitarians, for facilitating this vital dialogue, and to the King Baudouin Foundation for hosting the event. We also thank Heidy Rombouts, Director General of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for her excellent speech, which emphasized the urgent need for strengthened protections for those delivering life-saving assistance.

LAW also thanks Protect Aid Workers, an ECHO initiative, which LAW is proud to be a part of along with GISF, that proposes grants of up to €10,000 on short notice to aid workers having faced security incidents, threats, arrest, detention, or otherwise have been targeted for their humanitarian work.
More information can be found here: https://protectaidworkers.org/about-us/

LAW will continue to lead efforts to increase justice and accountability for crimes against humanitarian personnel, employing strategic litigation, advocacy, and partnerships with humanitarian organizations to create a safer environment for aid workers worldwide.