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World Humanitarian Day is observed every year on 19 August; the 2026 theme is 'Honouring fallen humanitarians and calling for greater protection of health care'.
The campaign, run by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), centres on the families of fallen humanitarians and uses the call #ActForHumanity.
The date marks the bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad on 19 August 2003, in which 22 humanitarian workers were killed, including UN Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello.
The UN General Assembly formally designated the day in 2008.
2024 remains the deadliest year on record for aid workers with 383 killed; 350 were killed in 2025, the second-highest toll ever.
Coordinates the international response to humanitarian emergencies and leads the World Humanitarian Day campaign
The body of law, centred on the Geneva Conventions, that protects those not taking part in hostilities, including medical personnel and humanitarian workers. The 2026 theme is an appeal to enforce exactly these protections.
The principal humanitarian coordination forum of UN agencies and major humanitarian organisations, chaired by the Emergency Relief Coordinator who heads OCHA.
World Humanitarian Day on 19 August sits alongside International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on 9 August and International Youth Day on 12 August.
GS Paper 2 > Important International Institutions, Agencies and Fora
General Awareness > Important Days and Themes
General Awareness > Important Days and International Organisations
General Awareness > Important Days
The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, who heads OCHA and chairs the Inter-Agency Standing Committee.
The rules that limit the effects of armed conflict, protecting people not participating in hostilities, including medical and humanitarian personnel.
The global record of major security incidents affecting humanitarian workers, the source of the annual killed, injured and abducted figures.