World Humanitarian Day 19 August 2022

 

What is World Humanitarian Day?

 Every year, the world, including Pakistan, observes World Humanitarian Day on August 19. World Humanitarian Day is a global holiday honoring individuals who work in the humanitarian field and people who have sacrificed their lives doing this. The act of serving others is celebrated worldwide. 22 persons lost their lives in a devastating blast that occurred in the United Nations headquarters in Bagdad in 2003. Sergio Vieira de Mello, the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, was among them. The UN General Assembly declared August 19 to be World Humanitarian Day in 2009. This was done out of respect for and in remembrance of those who lost their lives while serving.

How does It work?

A lot of people and organizations attempt to highlight the significance of humanitarianism by spreading awareness and educational materials. In addition, some people make an effort to talk to the media to promote these important World Humanitarian Day messages, while other organizations plan global public events that highlight humanitarian effort

World Humanitarian Day (WHD) focuses on a particular subject, bringing together partners from many sectors of the humanitarian system to promote the survival, welfare, and honor of those impacted by disasters as well as the quality and stability of humanitarian workers every year.

Many social media channels and the internet have been used to increase awareness of these topics and festivals. Here is a quick summary of those themes:

·      2019: honor women humanitarians for their services to helping those who are in need.

·    2020 : #RealLifeHeroes - A celebration of the front-line humanitarian workers amid the worldwide pandemic

·     2021: The Human Race: Increasing Climate Action

These many topics highlight the United Nations' annual attention on World Humanitarian Day. It is not necessary to simply concentrate on these subjects, but doing so accelerates global awareness-building and offers simpler interaction.

This year's theme is "The Human Race." It will serve as a reminder of the urgent need for people throughout the world to take action on climate change.

WHY HUMANARIANISM EFFORT IS IMPORTANT?

1. Every night, millions of people go to bed hungry.

Approximately one in nine people die from hunger each night, according to the 2018 Global Hunger Index.

2. There are 65.6 million displaced individuals.

The startling number is still up from 65.3 million in 2015.

3. Millions are impacted by natural calamities

204 million people were impacted by natural catastrophes in 2016 in some way.

4. Clean water is an indulgence

More than two billion people live without access to safe drinking water.

5. Girls continue to miss school.

In Third World nations, girls are discouraged from enrolling in school; the World Bank estimates that 130 million girls between the ages of 6 and 17 are not.

Humanitarian aid will be needed by 303 million people globally in 2022, a considerable rise from the decades-high number of people in need in 2017. As hunger, poverty, and competition for limited resources worsen due to climate change, rising conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic, many communities throughout the world are experiencing life-threatening crises that are getting more complicated.

How Pakistan is playing a very big role?  

Pakistan appreciated its collaboration with the WFP and had benefited from a number of the organization's projects that were being carried out.

The inclusive policies on health, education, and living whenever and whenever individuals are in difficulty, others aid them because Pakistanis have displayed remarkable charity, hospitality, and compassion towards the refugees in the nation. They join together to alleviate pain and provide hope, starting with the afflicted individuals themselves who are always the first to react when a calamity occurs. Because, as the proverb says, 

                                    “It takes a village to support people in crisis.”

PAKSITAN AS SUPPORTING NEIGHBOR

For more than four decades, Pakistan and its people have hosted more than 3 million Afghans with outstanding charity, kindness, and hospitality. Millions of Afghan refugees now reside in Pakistan. Since managing refugees is not a simple task yet Pakistan has mostly been left to handle this burden alone.

By taking on a significant role in overseeing the security along the western border, the Pakistan Army has contributed significantly to the management of Afghanistan following the US withdrawal. In the months since the US-led coalition forces left Afghanistan in August 2021, a humanitarian crisis has worsened and become more lethal. The humanitarian, economic, health, and governance issues are getting worse for the majority of Afghans, who have once again been left in squalor.

By assisting the Afghan brethren in addressing impending humanitarian disasters, Pakistan has contributed to the common benefit of the whole globe. It is time for the international world to step up to the plate as well, putting their issues with the Taliban government to one side. In research by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, it is estimated that 24.4 million Afghans, or more than half of the population, need humanitarian assistance.

With 92% of the population facing inadequate food intake, including about 9.6 million children, Afghanistan has the greatest number of individuals experiencing emergency food insecurity. To lessen the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan has announced a five billion rupee humanitarian assistance package for the Afghan people, which includes 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat, medications, and shelters. Approximately 15,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid have been given in 694 trucks and four C-130 aircraft up till June 21st, 2022, as part of the Pak-Afghan Cooperation Forum (PACF) program. In the future, From May 30 to June 5, 2022, the Pakistani army will establish a Free Eye Camp in Kabul with the help of the PACF and the Al-Khidmat Foundation. More than 4,000 patients received medical attention at the camp, and more than 1,000 underwent surgeries.

Pakistan appeals once more to the international humanitarian community to do all within its power to improve the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. It is urgent that a strategic strategy for dealing with humanitarian catastrophes be developed, one that is driven by the necessity of maintaining international humanitarian law, avoiding violence from erupting, and peacefully resolving past disagreements and conflicts.