Humanitarian Workers Face Deadliest Year on Record as Needs Soar and Funding Shrinks 

19 August 2025

On World Humanitarian Day, the global humanitarian system faces its most perilous moment. Violence against aid workers is at record levels: in 2024, 383 were killed—a 31 percent increase from the previous year and the highest toll ever recorded according to the Aid Worker Security Database. As of mid-August 2025, a staggering 265 have already lost their lives. At the same time, humanitarian operations are under historic strain—funding is shrinking while needs are soaring. Without urgent measures to safeguard humanitarian access and those who provide it, the impact will fall hardest on people in crisis who depend on this aid to survive. 

Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Corps, says:   

“This World Humanitarian Day comes at a moment of unprecedented need and unprecedented risk. Humanitarians are being asked to risk everything, with less than ever before. Today, more than 305 million people need humanitarian aid to survive, over twice as many as just six years ago. At the same time, aid workers face danger at levels never seen before: 2024 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarians and 2025 is already on track to be worse. The global humanitarian system is underfunded, overstretched, and under attack.  

“Yet every day, humanitarians keep going—into conflict zones, disaster areas, and places most of us will never see—to help people survive another day. 

“This World Humanitarian Day, I honor and stand with our Mercy Corps team members and all humanitarians—local and international—whose courage, compassion, and dedication save lives every day. I am deeply grateful for the extraordinary colleagues I have the privilege to work alongside, and for every humanitarian who chooses to keep showing up, even when the cost is great. 

“But let’s not just thank humanitarians. Let’s stand with them, amplify their voices, and make sure their courage isn’t met with silence. Let’s make sure the people they serve are never left to face crisis alone.  If we lose humanitarians or dim our humanitarian spirit, we risk losing something far greater—our shared humanity.’ 

Voices from Mercy Corps humanitarians: 

  • In Haiti: “What keeps me going is the belief that every action, no matter how small, counts—even if it doesn’t change the whole situation. I am constantly inspired by the strength and resilience of Haitian communities; despite everything they endure, people get back on their feet, help each other, and find solutions. There is also a solidarity with humanitarian colleagues: sharing the same mission, hardships, and successes creates a collective energy that pushes us to continue." - Djéma Elien 

  • In Gaza: “A few months ago, people relied on community kitchens, but now I see nothing like that. There’s almost no fuel, no ingredients to cook, and no funds to keep things going. Even families who had stable incomes before the war cannot meet the bare minimum now. You are literally drained living through these nonstop tough scenarios. We are not living; we are just surviving.” - Saif (alias) 

  • In Sudan: “Our teams are dealing with the full weight of trying to help others while experiencing the impacts of the conflict on themselves and their families—displacement, hunger, dangerous conditions. They are under constant threat, but they show up every day choosing to principles, choosing to support families. That gives me hope.” - Emmanuel Ufot 

  • In Pakistan: “In 2005, when the devastating earthquake struck Pakistan, I was among the most frightened — convinced the world was ending. From the moment I began helping survivors, my fear slowly turned into courage. Now, twenty years later, I have stood on the frontlines of earthquakes, floods, conflicts, and heatwaves. I have carried the smiles of children whose hope returned and the heartfelt prayers of elders whose dignity was restored. Through humanitarian work, I have found not just a career, but a family — thousands of people across Pakistan whose resilience inspires me every day, and whose kindness proves that even in the darkest times, humanity shines brightest. In every disaster, I have learned that the strongest shelter we can build is the one made of compassion.” - Majid Ali Awan 

World Humanitarian Day - recognized each year on August 19 - was established by the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate the 22 aid workers who lost their lives in a bomb attack in Baghdad in 2003, and to mobilize 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.   

 
For more information, please contact: