Topic: Protecting Humanitarian Workers in Conflict Zones
Country: Israel
Delegate Name: Kody Ware
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Israel position papers GLIMUN 2011 committees
The United nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs states that “Protection broadly encompasses activities aimed at obtaining full respect for the rights of all individuals in accordance with international law international humanitarian, human rights, and refugee law regardless of their age, gender, social ethnic, national, religious, or other background and that In general, protection refers to: Protection of civilians in armed conflict (POC), whereby all parties to the conflict are responsible for ensuring that the civilian population is respected and protected and Protection in contexts of natural disasters or civil unrest, whereby national authorities have the primary responsibility for the well-being of those affected
As far as the safety of humanitarians is concerned it states that In general, protection refers to: Protection of civilians in armed conflict (POC), whereby all parties to the conflict are responsible for ensuring that the civilian population is respected and protected and Protection in contexts of natural disasters or civil unrest, whereby national authorities have the primary responsibility for the well-being of those affected Countries in the United nations should do what they can to help protect and serve humanitarian workers but should not be held responsible for the harm or death that may come to the humanitarian workers. Over the past decade, attacks against humanitarian personnel have tripled, reaching 100 deaths per year in particularly insecure countries such as Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan (Darfur) and as a result, humanitarian actors particularly UN organizations struggle to maintain presence and safe access to affected people in areas where conflict has surged, which are often the ones where vulnerability is greatest. It is too much to ask governments to protect humanitarian workers while still looking out for the safety of their own citizens.
