Call for Evidence

International humanitarian law includes important rules to facilitate the passage of humanitarian relief such as food, clothing and medical supplies as well as rules on the protection of humanitarian personnel. In addition, UN Security Council resolutions have called for safe and unhindered access for humanitarian personnel. Yet, in recent years there have been concerning trends in the adherence to IHL by combatant parties in conflict. In particular, there are increasingly frequent accounts of cases where the requirements for access to allow the delivery of relief material and the protections for those who deliver it have been ignored.

Taking protection of humanitarian workers, the Aid Worker Security Database reports that in 2023, 280 workers died delivering aid. Of the 595 aid workers killed, injured or kidnapped that year, 95% were staff local to the crisis. In terms of humanitarian access, ACAPS assessed that between November 2022 and June 2023, crisis-affected populations in 37 countries were experiencing “extreme access constraints”, up by 5 on the previous period.

This inquiry will seek to understand what the UK Government is doing to address the root causes of this problem through encouraging parties to adhere to IHL. It will also examine how provision for the protection and support of aid delivery workers is built into the Government’s funding arrangements with delivery partners.

The Committee is interested to hear from anyone impacted by this issue including from humanitarian relief and development workers, FCDO delivery partners both international and local, academics and former diplomats.

The deadline date for submissions to this inquiry is Wednesday 22 January 2025, however, the Committee will strive to consider written evidence submissions that arrive after this date.

In your written evidence, please state if you wish for it to be anonymous and/or confidential.

Reasonable adjustments

If you need an adjustment to help you send your evidence, please get in touch with committee staff by e-mail at indcom@parliament.uk or call 020 7219 1223. They’ll be able to talk about what we can do to help you send your evidence, so far as reasonably practical. That might include sending it to us in a different format or giving you more time to prepare your evidence. We will be happy to help you.

The Committee would invite written evidence addressing some or all of the following questions:

• What are the current trends in adherence to international humanitarian law in conflicts, particularly regarding the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance?
• What impact does lack of adherence have to both the physical access to humanitarian supplies and the safe operation of aid workers?
• What is the FCDO’s record of using its diplomatic levers to promote access to aid, protection of aid workers? How might its approach be improved?
• How has the level of risk for aid workers changed in recent years and where does responsibility for their protection lie? What protections are available and are they adequate?
• How could UK ODA funding be made more relevant and accessible to support protection of workers, both local and international?
• Are the levels of support, including psychological support, for those affected by trauma in the delivery of ODA adequate and how could the Government better enable provision of these services?
• What are the gaps in international humanitarian law when it comes to humanitarian access and what could be the UK Government’s role in addressing this?
• What more could the Government do, with or without partners, to hold perpetrators of attacks and abuse against aid workers to account and encouraging adherence to international humanitarian law on these issues?