Esther, an ActionAid humanitarian worker supporting communities affected by the East Africa food crisis.

World Humanitarian Day

World Humanitarian Day is an international day dedicated to humanitarian workers and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes. It is a global celebration of people helping people. 

Each year, World Humanitarian Day focuses on a different theme.

When is World Humanitarian Day 2023, and what is the theme?

World Humanitarian Day 2023 takes place on Saturday, 19th August.

In 2023, the theme for World Humanitarian Day is #NoMatterWhat.

On this World Humanitarian Day, we pay tribute to the exceptional courage of ActionAid partners around the world who, in the face of immense personal loss and heartache caused by the crises around them, remain undeterred in their mission to alleviate the suffering of others.

This year's World Humanitarian Day theme of "No Matter What" takes on profound significance as we honour the unwavering dedication of those who, amidst the aftermath of the earthquakes in Syria, demonstrated unparalleled resilience. Our colleagues from Violet - an aid organisation in Syria - having personally felt the impact of the earthquakes, with the loss of valued colleagues and family, stand as a testament to the humanitarian spirit.

It's a commitment we've witnessed over and over again. From partners drafting proposals in air raid shelters in Ukraine, to colleagues in Nepal swiftly relocating their families to tents before heading out to assist mere hours after an earthquake, the stories of dedication epitomise the spirit of "No Matter What" and our shared humanity.

Turkey-Syria earthquakes

It’s been six months since two powerful earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria in the space of just 12 hours.  

More than 55,000 people are estimated to have lost their lives and many more were injured and displaced. More than 54,000 buildings, including hospitals and schools, were destroyed or damaged. 

For the last six months, ActionAid has been working with local partners in Syria to provide emergency and long-term care for those affected by the earthquakes including shelter, food, and medical aid.

Overall our response reached more than 100,000 people. But this World Humanitarian Day, we urgently need your help. Please donate now.

 

How to get involved with World Humanitarian Day

Why are women and girls most affected by climate change?

Climate change is intrinsically linked to poverty, impacting the lives of the world’s poorest people the most.

It is also intrinsically linked to gender, as we know from our work that women and girls are particularly vulnerable to the effects of the climate catastrophe. All over the world, women and girls are losing their homes as a result.

  • Women constitute the majority of the world’s poor, who are overall more affected by climate change. 
  • They are more likely to be dependent for their food and income on the land, and natural resources, which are being threatened.  
  • They are less likely to be in positions of power and/or decision-making roles. 
  • They are more likely to be responsible within their families for securing water, food and fuel for cooking and heating, which are all being threatened.1  It is often women and girls, for example, who are forced to walk great distances to find water when local sources dry up. 
  • In poorer countries, they tend to be exposed to the negative impacts of disasters, including death and injury. These disasters are becoming more frequent and more severe due to climate change.
  • They face a heightened risk of gender-based violence during and following disasters, and when forced to leave their homes due to climate change, become more vulnerable to early marriage, adolescent pregnancy, rape and trafficking.2

Turkey-Syria earthquake six months on

"The earthquake greatly affected our work because hospitals were destroyed and had to be reconstructed.

"There is a lot of physical and moral damage at the same time."

Amani is Head Nurse at an ActionAid-funded hospital in north-west Syria. She told us that a lot of hospitals were destroyed by the earthquakes in February which has left communities without access to medical support and healthcare workers without the vital medical
supplies they need to treat patients.

Since the hospital has opened, Amani has seen dozens of patients arrive to access healthcare services, including pregnant women and new mothers who need pregnancy and antenatal care. The hospital is there to serve women living in the nearby camps for internally displaced people. 

As this crisis continues to develop, we need your help more than ever.  Please help today

In Nepal, our women-led response to the Covid-19 pandemic has supported thousands of people.

Sabin Shrestha/ActionAid

Supporting women's leadership in emergencies

In humanitarian crises, ActionAid does things differently. We work to promote women's leadership, ensuring women are empowered to make decisions about the needs of their community. 

We know that women bring vital skills, resources and experience to humanitarian response. And when crises happen, they are often the first responders, playing critical roles in the survival of families and communities.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, ActionAid has reached over 25 million people with our life-saving support.

We have put into action our women-led, localised response to the pandemic: promoting women's leadership, ensuring women are empowered to make decisions about the needs of their community, and amplifying the voices and representation of women in humanitarian decision-making spaces. 

Tags:

Footnotes

  • 1https://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/climate_change/downloads/Women_and_Climate_Change_Factsheet.pdf
  • 2https://care.exposure.co/far-from-home
Top image: Esther, an ActionAid Humanitarian Advisor who is supporting communities affected by the East Africa food crisis. Sarah Waiswa / ActionAid

Page updated 18 August 2023