This appeal comes against the backdrop of an increase in attacks on UN personnel: last year, there were 179 reported cases of arrest or detention of organization workers. This figure has significantly risen compared to 52 detentions the year before. Currently, 73 UN staff members are being held in Yemen, including eight representatives from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
UN employees carry out their duties in some of the most risky and unstable regions, such as Gaza, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to the organization, their work is fraught with threats of abduction, attacks, unlawful detentions, and even death as a result of armed conflicts. “Any detention violates not only fundamental human rights but also international law, undermines immunity, and hinders humanitarian efforts, stopping the delivery of aid to millions in need,” noted the President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock.
Every year on March 25, the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing UN Staff is observed, aimed at mobilizing the international community to protect UN workers and peacekeepers, as well as demanding justice for those who have become victims of abductions or attacks. It also emphasizes the need to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, journalists, and NGO representatives.
The UN emphasizes that protecting personnel is not only a moral obligation but also a crucial condition for the successful execution of humanitarian and peacekeeping tasks worldwide.
