19 August 2022 marks the 19th anniversary of the bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killing 22 humanitarian aid workers, including the UN Special Representative for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Five years later, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 19 August as World Humanitarian Day to advocate for the survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers.
There is a saying: “It takes a village to raise a child.” World Humanitarian Day 2022 builds on this metaphor of collective endeavor to shine a light on the hundreds of thousands of volunteers, professionals, and crisis-affected people, including in our region, who deliver urgent health care, shelter, food, protection, water, and much more, and to grow global appreciation of humanitarian work.
The past year has seen an escalation of instability and humanitarian needs following the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, renewed conflict in Tigray, the Russian invasion in Ukraine, on top of ongoing conflict in Syria, Yemen, Myanmar, and a number of African countries. The resulting global humanitarian needs are at an all-time high, with a record number of 303 million people in crisis worldwide, including more than 100 million forced displaced. The United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA) warned last week that at nearly $34 billion, the funding shortfall for aid operations is the biggest it’s ever been. Humanitarian needs are compounded by the effects of the climate emergency and the global food and energy crisis.
As a coalition of humanitarian actors in Jordan – Jordan NGOs Forum (JONAF) – we continue to be engaged in delivery of a range of humanitarian assistance to refugees as well as other vulnerable segments in the community. JONAF is also a major voice in the debate on humanitarian challenges facing the region. Our advocacy has been directed beyond immediate needs to long-term solutions to the underlying conflicts, through dialogue, building understanding, and promoting tolerance. JONAF has also been a leading voice for localization in Jordan and the wider region, with a firm believe that development of local capacities – supported through international efforts – is paramount to sustainability of the humanitarian effort.
We are also reminding the international community not to forget long-term crises, including Syria, Yemen, and the unresolved Question of Palestine, including the protracted displacement of 6 million Palestinian refugees and internally displaced. Through our various programs, activities and partnerships, we are proud to support state of the art knowledge production on the humanitarian and political challenges facing the region.
