Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Accepted in Part
Call for UNSC Special Session on IHL disregard, humanitarian access, and aid worker safety.
Recommendation
We recommend that the UK works with the other UN Member States represented on the ministerial group for the safety of humanitarian aid workers to call for a Special Session of the UNSC to discuss the problem of disregard of IHL in the delivery of aid. This session should focus on hearing from aid workers themselves, and from local organisations in particular, culminating in a declaration. In addition, the UK should push for the issue of humanitarian access to be included regularly in the annual UN Protection of Civilians Report. Finally, there should be an expectation that the UN Humanitarian Coordinator includes details of obstructions to the safe delivery of aid, including attacks on aid workers, as part of his regular reporting to the Security Council. However, we emphasise that this reporting should not be at the expense of energy and time being devoted to the ending of conflicts. (Recommendation, Paragraph 44)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government partially agrees, stating it already actively engages with UN Member States and co-sponsored UNSCR 2730, which addresses humanitarian personnel protection and will lead to a UN Secretary-General's report. It also supports the inclusion of humanitarian access in UN reports and commits to continue doing so, but does not specifically commit to calling for a Special Session of the UNSC focused on hearing from aid workers.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted in Part
49. The UK works with members of the ministerial group to explore all opportunities and agrees to consider a meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) which highlights aid worker safety, compliance with IHL, and enables members of the Council to hear from aid workers themselves (noting that a meeting on this topic is due in May 2026 as mandated by UNSCR 2730). As Security Council President during the November 2024 session to discuss implementation of UNSCR 2730, the UK invited the Director of the Aid Worker Security Database to provide a statement at the Council. Representatives of the United Nations Department for Safety and Security, and the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) have also delivered statements at the Council. The UK will continue to work with members of the ministerial group, and others, to explore any/all additional opportunities to highlight this important issue. 50. The UK will scope the feasibility and value of new reporting mechanisms in partnership with the UN. However, as the Committee suggests, reporting must not detract from important efforts to end conflict and support those affected by it, and duplicative reporting mechanisms must be avoided. In the meantime, the UK will continue to support transparent reporting to the Council on these important topics through existing mechanisms. 51. The UN Secretary General’s Annual Protection of Civilians report provides a comprehensive global assessment of civilian harm in armed conflict and calls to action. The 2025 report included compliance with IHL, humanitarian access, and protection of humanitarian personnel, alongside other important themes. The UK strongly supports this important process, while recognising the dire picture it presents. In May 2025, at the annual debate on Protection of Civilians, the UK called for the UNSC to use the tools at its disposal to press all parties to conflict to comply with their international law obligations. 52. The UK also champions the implementation of UNSCR 2417 which addresses conflict-induced hunger and recognises the importance of safe and unimpeded access of humanitarian personnel to civilians in armed conflict. The UK helped to establish the Group of Friends for Action on Conflict and Hunger in 2021 and continues to be active in the group. 53. Humanitarian access barriers and incidents of harm to aid workers are also reported to the council through various other mechanisms. Aid worker security is reported by the UN Secretary General to the Council under UNSCR 2730 and the denial of humanitarian access to children is captured in UN-verified reporting to the Council through the UNSC Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗