World
Humanitarian
Day

World Humanitarian Day

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World Humanitarian Day 2025

Strengthening global solidarity and empowering local communities is the theme for this year’s World Humanitarian Day on 19 August.

Local knowledge is the foundation of any aid response. When disaster strikes, local responders are the first to support their community.

Our member charities work with local staff and partners to support their efforts, and the DEC is committed to funding locally led responses, putting decision-making closer to the people affected.

What is World Humanitarian Day?

19 August is an international day dedicated to honouring humanitarian workers and celebrating their incredible impact around the world.

It is also a moment to pay tribute to aid workers who have lost their lives trying to help others, and an opportunity to stress the importance of protecting humanitarian workers from harm or violence as they carry out their life-saving work.

In their own words

Gaza is the most dangerous place in the world for aid workers right now. Hundreds have been killed since October 2023. Living in unimaginably harsh conditions themselves without access to food, water and supplies, local frontline staff continue to face huge personal risks as they do everything they can to help others survive.

"Our shifts last 24 hours"

Dr Alaa is an emergency physician at a Palestine Red Crescent (PRCS) field hospital in Gaza.

"The situation is no secret, it is catastrophic. The food shortage causes exhaustion for our staff. Our shifts last for 24 continuous hours. During that time, the available food is not enough to provide us with the energy needed to care for all the patients.

"We don’t have enough beds, so patients are forced to lie on the ground. We’re forced to treat them on the floor, administering
medication and examining them while they lie there.

The only hope is that the number of injuries will decrease, especially those arriving from aid distribution points."

Dr Alaa the field hospital in Gaza that severely lacks the reseouces they need to treat patients. Image: Aya Matrabie/Fairpicture/DEC

"The struggles weigh heavily"

Sahar is a humanitarian worker and head of the Palestinian Development Women Studies Association, a local partner of ActionAid.

“Women today struggle with nearly everything,” she said, during the ceasefire in February 2025. “Constant displacement, insecurity, and instability are major struggles. Women’s physical health is declining daily.

“The constant feeling of insecurity affects us deeply. Many of our female staff are working mothers – responsible for their families’ wellbeing. These struggles weigh heavily on us.”

Sahar lost team members as well as their office in Gaza. Image: Wattan Media Network/ActionAid

"We share the same pain"

Dr Iman is an emergency doctor at the PRCS hospital in Gaza, where the team are working to meet extreme humanitarian needs despite their personal suffering.

“We share the same circumstances, the same pain, and the same hopes.

“I deal with all kinds of critical injuries. I handle people who have been killed, grieving families, the process of informing them about their children’s deaths, and how to absorb their shock and anger.

“The most beautiful moments are when I sit and remember how our house used to be, large with a rooftop garden and a variety of fruit. I long for those days.”

Dr Iman at a field hospital in Gaza that has more cases than the team can manage. Image: Arete/British Red Cross

"That small glimmer of hope"

Saleem is an aid worker for the Palestine Red Crescent Society, the local partner of British Red Cross.

"One of the most important things that kept us going was our deep sense of humanity toward the people. We were trained to be ready for times like these to help people.

"Even if the services we provided were insufficient, the mere feeling that we had helped, that we had alleviated even a fraction of their suffering, was what kept us going. Despite all the hardships we endured, knowing that we contributed in some way... It was that small glimmer of hope."