Caritas Australia chief executive Kirsten Sayers has called for stronger protections for aid workers in a meeting with Australian ambassador to the Holy See, Keith Pitt.
Ms Sayers met Mr Pitt in Rome last week, continuing a dialogue that began in Canberra earlier this year, following Mr Pitt’s appointment in February.
Since that time, the world has endured escalating instability, from ongoing conflict in the Middle East to widespread cuts in international aid budgets. In contrast, the Australian Government has maintained its Overseas Development Assistance budget, while also providing targeted humanitarian support to Gaza, Myanmar, and to women and girls in Afghanistan.
“The world is shaken by conflict and uncertainty, but Ambassador Pitt and I were pleased to reflect on Australia’s ongoing commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity for all,” Ms Sayers said.
“Our national Overseas Development Assistance budget is certainly part of that, as is our robust support for some of the world’s most dire humanitarian crises.”
The Australian Government has also continued to play a leading role in advancing the Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, first introduced at the UN General Assembly in 2024.
A ministerial Group – comprising Australia and eight other nations – is now working to secure international support for the declaration’s adoption at the next UN General Assembly in September.
“As one of the world’s largest aid and development agencies, Caritas Australia lends its voice to these calls for stronger protections for humanitarian workers, and for accountability when those protections are violated,” Ms Sayers said.
The need for such protections has never been more urgent, she said, as 2024 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers, with 377 aid workers killed, surpassing the previous high of 280 in 2023.
The war in Gaza has been a major driver of this death toll, with more than 400 humanitarian personnel killed in the enclave since October 2023.
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Caritas Australia CEO calls attention to aid worker safety (Caritas Australia)
