The Executive Committee of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (IHRN) has released a public statement highlighting the alarming rise in violence against health professionals working in conflict zones. This growing trend endangers healthcare providers and severely restricts civilian access to medical care, further worsening humanitarian conditions in affected regions.
Key Findings
- In 2024, 3,623 incidents of violence or obstruction against healthcare were recorded in conflict zones, representing a 15% increase compared to 2023 and a 62% rise from 2021.
- The highest number of attacks – over 1,300 – occurred in Gaza and the West Bank, marking the largest number ever recorded in a single conflict in one year.
- Attacks on healthcare workers and facilities were reported in 23 countries and territories, including Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and Ukraine.
- On average, healthcare workers or facilities were attacked ten times per day in 2024.
Appeals and Recommendations
The IHRN Executive Committee emphasizes that violence against health professionals is not an inevitable consequence of conflict, but rather a result of ignoring established international legal standards. The Committee expresses strong support for UN Security Council Resolution 2286, which calls for the protection of health workers in conflict zones.
IHRN urges national academies and scientific communities:
- to unequivocally condemn attacks on health professionals performing their duties under dangerous conditions.
- to support the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2286 and active participation in efforts to protect health professionals.
- to call on their governments to take a clear stand against violence targeting health professionals and to support accountability for perpetrators.
- to increase awareness of this global issue through events and information campaigns.
The IHRN Executive Committee calls on researchers and health professionals to underscore the importance of international law and human rights as the foundation for a functioning global society.
Prepared based on the public statement of the Executive Committee of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies, June 26, 2025.