Over the past few years, there’s been a sharp increase in the number of aid workers being targeted for kidnap and ransom.
July 26th, 2016Aid Worker Security Database: The Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD) records major incidents of violence against aid workers, with incident reports from 1997 through the present.
Aid Worker Security Report (2015)
In 2014, 329 aid workers were victims of major attacks. 121 killed. 88 wounded. 120 kidnapped.
“…Kidnappings have again surpassed shootings as the most common means of violence affecting aid workers. As in past years, most kidnap victims were national staff of aid projects in Afghanistan, and were released following intervention by community elders. The estimated number of humanitarian aid workers in 2013 was 450,000, yielding a global attack rate of 10.5 victims per 10,000 in the field. Although the estimated number of aid workers has not yet been calculated for 2014, it is not expected to drop significantly (given humanitarian funding trends, it is more likely to increase). This means that attack rates will have reduced in 2014 along with absolute numbers.
In 2014, the five contexts with the greatest number of attacks on aid workers were Afghanistan, Syria, South Sudan, Central African Republic and Pakistan…..”
