Humanitarian aid workers operating in high-risk environments face significant security threats, with 444 workers affected by violence in 235 major attacks in 2022. This represents a marginal decrease in the total number of casualties compared to the previous year, but a notable increase in aid worker kidnappings, with 185 cases reported. The majority of attacks occurred in six countries: South Sudan, Myanmar, Mali, Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine.
South Sudan experienced the highest number of attacks, with 62 aid workers affected in 45 separate incidents, resulting in 23 fatalities. National aid workers bore the brunt of attacks in South Sudan, with all but two of the victims being nationals. The country’s Unity, Eastern Equatoria, and Jonglei states had the highest concentration of incidents.
In Mali, kidnapping by armed groups continued to affect aid workers, with 34 cases reported. The expanded military crackdown in Myanmar resulted in a significant increase in incidents, with aid workers affected in aerial attacks, landmine incidents, and shelling. The armed forces of the ruling junta were responsible for most of the incidents.
The Democratic Republic of Congo saw a stable number of attacks, with the majority occurring in the conflict-affected eastern regions of North and South Kivu and Ituri. Incidents in Syria have been on the decline since 2020, with assault taking over as the most common means of attack. Attacks in the Central African Republic saw a shift towards more assaults and fewer shootings and improvised explosive devices.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine resulted in a significant increase in aid worker casualties, with 61 individual victims and 39 kidnappings reported. Despite a decline in overall incidents in Ethiopia, more aid workers were kidnapped in 2022 than ever recorded for that country. The worsening violence in Haiti resulted in a 150% increase in attacks on humanitarians, with violence concentrated around Port-au-Prince.
The humanitarian sector has made significant progress in developing security risk management systems, with most internationally operating NGOs having dedicated security staff and standard procedures. However, the toll of violence has not been borne equally, with international organisations experiencing a decrease in incident rates while national NGOs have seen an increase.
Security training has become a staple of humanitarian risk management and duty of care for personnel, but significant gaps and disparities remain across the sector. Training resources are disproportionately allocated towards international staff in less risky roles, while local aid workers, who face the highest risks, often lack access to comparable training. To improve effectiveness and equitability in security training, organisations should define outcome metrics for more rigorous assessment of effectiveness and ensure training is made relevant and available to those who need it most.
The Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD) records major incidents of deliberate violence affecting humanitarian personnel, including killings, kidnappings, serious injuries, and rape and sexual assault. The AWSD draws upon quantitative data from the database, results of an online survey of 358 aid practitioners, and qualitative evidence from 119 key informant interviews with representatives from national and international NGOs, UN agencies, and donor government agencies, and security training specialists from the humanitarian and private sectors.
The AWSD has been tracking aid worker security incidents for over two decades, with the most recent data showing a continued modest decline in major incidents of violence impacting aid workers. However, the number of fatalities decreased by 18% from 2021, with 116 killed, 143 seriously wounded, and 185 kidnapped. The AWSD’s data highlights the need for continued investment in security training and risk management systems to protect aid workers operating in high-risk environments.