The European Commission and the Irish Presidency of the Council are hosting the first International Conference on the Protection of Humanitarian Aid Workers on 15–16 October. It follows a record year of violence: in 2025, 1,187 aid workers were killed, injured, kidnapped or detained worldwide.
The EU has mobilised €3.5 million in funding in 2026 for the safety of humanitarian workers through the Protect Aid Workers initiative. It provides protection measures, post-incident assistance and legal support to humanitarian staff exposed to threats and violence.
The event brings together governments, frontline responders, humanitarian organisations, and survivors of attacks. Commissioner for Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, will deliver a keynote speech, broadcast live.
The conference intends to:
- boost the momentum of the Australian initiative and the Global Initiative on International Humanitarian Law
- reaffirms the EU’s commitment to humanitarian diplomacy
- addresses accountability for attacks against humanitarian personnel
It provides a platform to share initiatives, strengthen practical protection measures and build a broader international community committed to safeguarding those who deliver life-saving assistance.
Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, said:
‘Traveling from crisis to crisis around the globe, I have met aid workers. I know what their everyday life looks like. They wake up each morning asking one question: how can I help? They risk their lives in some of the deadliest places to save others. I cannot think of a more noble calling. Yet even the skies above them are growing more dangerous, with drones increasingly killing the very people delivering bread and vaccines to those in desperate need. We owe them more than a minute of silence. That is why we are bringing together partners, mobilising resources, and fighting to end impunity. Their safety must be our top priority. Humanitarian workers are not the collateral damage of war. No one should pay with their life for trying to save someone else’s.’
