World Humanitarian Day: Civilians, Aid Workers, Must Not Be Targets of Attacks, UN, Saraki Insist

Abimbola Akosile in Lagos, Damilola Oyedele in Abuja and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, saturday condemned attacks on civilians during crises globally, especially aid workers providing helps to victims of conflicts.

Guterres’ stance was corroborated by the President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, who also joined other world leaders and international organisations to insist that civilians must never be targets in conflict situations around the world.

In his message on the World Humanitarian Day, Guterres called for urgent protection, support and treatment for traumatic sexual violence and abuse of thousands of women and girls in Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and elsewhere.

The World Humanitarian Day is observed annually on Aug. 19, to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and rally support for people affected by crises worldwide. It was designated by the General Assembly to coincide with the date of the 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, in which 22 staff were killed.

The UN chief expressed regret that 65 million civilians were currently uprooted from their homes as a result of crises. According to him, armed conflicts are tearing communities and countries apart, forcing record numbers of people from their homes to rely on humanitarian aid for their survival and protection.

He said “every year on World Humanitarian Day, we shine a spotlight on the millions of civilians around the world whose lives have been caught up in conflict. On this day, we also take a moment to honour the brave health and aid workers who are targeted or obstructed as they set out to help people in need.

“We pay tribute to the government employees, members of civil society and representatives of international organisations and agencies who risk their lives to provide humanitarian aid and protection. In spite of our efforts, civilians, including medical and humanitarian workers, continue to bear the brunt of intense conflicts around the world.

“Hospitals and supplies are attacked, looted and obstructed by fighting parties. In cities like Juba and Aleppo, housing, markets, schools and vital civilian infrastructure have been destroyed.” Guterres stressed that crises had turned many countries into an incubator for lethal epidemics that have killed thousands of 9,000 people while health services and water and sanitation infrastructure were collapsing under the strain.

“In Iraq, Syria, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and elsewhere, thousands of women and girls urgently need protection, support and treatment for traumatic sexual violence and abuse. The result of these crises is the record number of people – more than 65 million – forced to flee their homes. No one is winning these wars. We are all losing,” he said.

This year, on World Humanitarian Day, he said the UN and partners were calling on all global leaders to do everything in their power to protect people caught up in conflict.

“Let the world know, `civilians are not a target’. I invite you to stand with us in solidarity with civilians in conflict, and with the health and aid workers who risk their lives to help them. Get involved with our online campaign.

“On World Humanitarian Day, let us commit to doing everything in our power to protect women, girls, men and boys in the line of fire, and to give them hope of a better future,” the UN scribe urged.

In commemoration of the World Humanitarian Day, Saraki, through the official Twitter page of the Office of the Senate President – @SPNigeria – also stated that the 8th Senate would continue to remain committed to supporting the nation’s Armed Forces in ensuring that families, aid workers, and other civilians that are caught in conflict situations are not affected by violence.

“As the World commemorates World Humanitarian Day 2017, we must all take a second to reflect on the successes that we have recorded in routing out the rampant violent extremism that plagued our nation just a few years ago.

“We must also never forget that hundreds of thousands of Nigerian families and millions of lives are still affected by the residual impact of terrorism and the Boko Haram menace. Many survivors are still in the process of recovering, while many families will never again be the same.

“On this note, Nigeria and Nigerians must join the United Nations and the rest of the world in reaffirming that civilians like host communities and aid workers must never be targets in conflicts. Innocent lives must never be victims.

Vulnerable communities should never be attacked. “As we do this, we must all work towards ensuring that where we are going as a nation, will be better off than where we have been. This is why the 8th Senate will continue to remain committed to supporting the executive and our Armed Forces as they rout the last elements of the insurgency.

“We will also continue to support the humanitarian recovery and reconstruction efforts, to ensure that Nigeria’s over two million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are resettled and rehabilitated. As a nation, we have our work cut out for us.

However, we shall overcome,” the President of the Senate, said.
Meanwhile, as part of activities to mark the 2017 International Humanitarian Day, Manumar Foundation has partnered Silver Lining for the Needy Initiative (SLNI) to educate Plateau state women on safe delivery and exclusive breastfeeding to help reduce maternal and child mortality rate in Nigeria.

The groups also donated 500 birthing kits and 500 mosquito nets to the pregnant women at the three locations.
The events, which held yesterday at Primary Healthcare Centres in Kwombe, Kopal and Bungun Gida communities in Mangu local government area of the state, witnessed a large turnout of men and women, who were on ground to learn on pre-natal and post-natal healthcare and life style.

Addressing his audience at events, Founder of Manumar Foundation, Umar Mantu said the programme was organised to educate pregnant women on the important things to know during and after pregnancy, “as this will help in reducing maternal and child mortality rate in Nigeria.

Speaking to the men on the importance of giving their pregnant wives the needed support by sending them to healthcare facilities rather than leaving them at home, Umar said “this is necessary to avoid complications that may arise during delivery.”

Also speaking, founder of SLNI, Hauwa Abbas said his organisation is a global breastfeeding innovator that promotes early and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, adding that “exclusive breastfeeding would improve the immunity of babies against infantile diseases that inflict children under the age of five.”

The nurses at the various PHCs joined in educating the women on importance of breastfeeding and the best posture for breastfeeding.

They said, “Breast milk is very vital for the baby because it contains the entire nutrients needed for development and also anti-bodies which will help prevent the baby against infant diseases and future diseases. The breast milk is free and available anytime for baby, it is warm already, and there is no need for mothers to make it warm.”

On safe delivery, the Nurses at the PHCs said warned that women must attend ante-natal clinic for proper care for mothers and babies, adding that “the appropriate time for a woman to start ante-natal clinic is when the pregnancy is three months old as this will enable the doctors to examine and ensure that there are no complications.”

Appreciating the groups for their support, the women said the donations would go a long way to reduce their financial burdens of having to purchase the items during their delivery.