Olivier Vandecasteele, the Belgian aid worker who was detained in an Iranian cell for 15 months before finally being freed last May, has launched a project to protect and support humanitarian workers.
Humanitarian workers find themselves in increasingly precarious situations and facing threats. Last year was the deadliest year ever for humanitarian workers; more than 500 were killed, injured or kidnapped while doing their job. As an aid worker, Vandecasteele himself was arrested in Iran on 24 February 2022 and was sentenced in a sham trial to 40 years in prison, 74 lashes as well as a $1 million fine for "espionage and undermining national security".
He was released as part of a prison swap after months of public rallies being held to call for his release. Now, he is launching the 'Protect Humanitarians' initiative together with the King Baudouin Foundation to strengthen protection and increase support for humanitarian actors on the ground.
Olivier Vandecasteele reunited with his family after his imprisonment. Credit: Belga / Didier Lebrun
"Human rights activists and journalists have organised themselves to facilitate the collective defence of their members," Vandecasteele said. "The humanitarian sector does not have this protection. Humanitarian workers, especially local humanitarian workers, are often all alone." They are also most often killed, injured or kidnapped while working.
Collective approach
The project aims to unite the humanitarian community around a common goal: to develop a collective approach to protection and assistance (medical, psychological, material or legal) for humanitarian workers who are victims of incidents or for their families if the humanitarian workers have died.
"We want a platform to discuss the attacks on humanitarian workers and work out an effective approach," Vandecasteele said. "That is the ambition of Protect Humanitarians: to find solutions to a shared need that benefits all members of the humanitarian community."
The project focuses on emergency assistance to humanitarian workers who are victims of critical incidents but also does advocacy and awareness-raising with the aim of better protecting humanitarian workers. It will also share expertise and provide legal assistance to combat impunity for perpetrators.
The initiative's "Emergency Fund", to help humanitarian workers who fall victim to critical incidents in the course of their work, is open to donations. The King Baudouin Foundation reminds potential donors that donations of €40 or more are 45% tax deductible.
