Reclaiming Human Rights
On World Humanitarian Day, the International Centre for Human Rights (ICHR) honours humanitarian workers, volunteers, medical professionals, human-rights defenders, and ordinary people who dedicate themselves to saving lives, protecting human dignity, and helping communities in crisis.
Across the world, millions are suffering from war, terrorism, persecution, hunger, forced displacement, state violence, and humanitarian crises. Humanitarian action begins with a simple principle: every human life has equal value.
Humanitarian Crises in the Middle East
The Middle East continues to face some of the world’s most serious humanitarian challenges.
In Yemen, more than 22 million people require humanitarian assistance and protection, with hunger, displacement, malnutrition, and weakened essential services continuing to endanger millions.
In Syria, millions still require humanitarian assistance and millions remain internally displaced despite significant numbers of Syrians beginning to return home.
In Iran, serious and systematic human-rights violations including political executions, imprisonment, repression, violence against protesters, and discrimination against women and minorities, continue to demand international accountability.
In Pakistan, there are reports of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial violence, repression of journalists and activists, and abuses affecting Baloch, Pashtun, and other communities.
In Gaza, civilians continue to face displacement, insecurity, disrupted education, and severe challenges in accessing shelter and humanitarian assistance. Children are particularly vulnerable to trauma, exploitation, radicalization, and recruitment by armed and extremist groups.
Across the region, civilians are also affected by terrorism, armed conflict, poverty, displacement, and attacks on essential services.
Protect Women and Children
Women and children are among the most vulnerable during conflict, repression, displacement, and humanitarian emergencies.
ICHR calls for stronger action against gender-based and domestic violence, forced and child marriage, trafficking, exploitation, discriminatory laws, and denial of education and fundamental freedoms.
No cultural, religious, political, or security justification can excuse violence against women or children.
Protect Civilians — Whoever They Are
ICHR condemns terrorism, hostage-taking, deliberate attacks against civilians, and indiscriminate violence, including attacks against Israeli civilians by Hamas and other extremist organizations.
At the same time, international humanitarian law requires the protection of civilians in every conflict. Civilians must not be deliberately targeted, used as human shields, collectively punished, or denied essential humanitarian assistance.
Governments must also be accountable when military, police, intelligence, or security forces unlawfully use violence against their own populations.
Reject Hate and Intolerance
The rise of antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, sectarian hatred, ethnic discrimination, and hate-motivated violence threatens communities around the world.
Humanitarianism requires us to reject hatred in all its forms and defend every person’s dignity regardless of religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or political identity.
ICHR Calls for Action
“Humanitarianism is more than responding to tragedy. It means preventing suffering, protecting civilians, defending human dignity, and refusing to remain indifferent when others are in need”, said Ardeshir Zarezadeh, ICHR President.
ICHR calls on governments and international institutions to:
Protect civilians, humanitarian workers, women, children, refugees, displaced people, hostages, political prisoners, and peaceful protesters.
Guarantee safe and effective access to humanitarian aid, food, medicine, shelter, and essential services.
Demand an end to executions, torture, enforced disappearances, terrorism, hostage-taking, and unlawful violence against civilians.
Hold governments, officials, armed groups, and terrorist organizations responsible for serious human-rights violations and international crimes accountable through lawful mechanisms.
Strengthen protections against violence targeting women and children, hate crimes, racism, antisemitism, religious intolerance, and persecution.
Support humanitarian organizations and local communities working on the front lines to save lives and restore dignity.
Protect life. Defend dignity. Help those in need. Demand accountability.