"On 19 August 2003, a bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killed 22 humanitarian aid workers, including the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Five years later, the General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 19 August as World Humanitarian Day (WHD). Each year, WHD focuses on a theme, bringing together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers." (About World Humanitarian Day)
Image from: World Humanitarian Day 2022.
Sources to explore about humanitarian aid from around the world.
Explore more about Humanitarian Aid with this Mind Map from Credo Reference. You can use the link at the bottom of the image to explore resources related to this topic in Credo Reference.
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Humanitarian Aid Organizations aid people who are suffering, particularly victims of armed conflict, famines, and natural disasters. Sometimes these organizations are also called relief societies.
Action Against Hunger. Works to save lives of malnourished children while providing communities with access to safe water and solutions to hunger, food security and livelihoods.
AmeriCares. Responds with medical supplies and clinical services and offers health programs through over 4,000 health centers in different countries.
CARE. Dedicated to ending poverty saving lives & achieving social justice.
Catholic Relief Services. Focuses on emergency response, health, education, agriculture, and more. Its programs include microfinancing, sanitation projects, and HIV services.
Direct Relief. Focuses on emergency readiness, disease prevention and treatment, and disaster awareness
Doctors Without Borders. Comprised mainly of doctors and health workers providing assistance to populations in distress and victims of disaster and armed conflict.
International Medical Corps. Assists those in urgent need providing first response health care and health-related emergency services.
International Rescue Committee (IRC). Humanitarian organization founded at the request of Albert Einstein. Offers emergency assistance to persons displaced by war, persecution or natural disaster.
International Committee of the Red Cross. Helps people affected by conflict and armed violence and promoting the laws that protect victims of war.
International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Carries out relief operations to assist victims of disasters combined with development work.
Refugees International. Advocates for lifesaving assistance and protection for displaced people and promotes solutions to displacement crises.
Save the Children. Provides programs for children and works in areas like disaster response, nutrition, health, shelter, and education.
The World Health Organization. Monitors health around the world and prepares for health emergencies, develops health tools, responds to emergencies, and supports supply delivery.
UNICEF. Prioritizes the needs of children through programs in childhood nutrition, safe water, education, and more. It works in both humanitarian and development aid.
USAID. Transforms families, communities, and countries – so they can thrive and prosper. Whether by preventing the next global epidemic, responding to a devastating earthquake, or helping a farmer access tools to grow her business.
