The Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV) and the Advisory Committee on Issues of Public International Law (CAVV) published an advisory report upon the protection of aid workers in conflict situations.

The AIV and CAVV are addressing this issue in response to a request for advice from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, based on a motion adopted by the House of Representatives. The motion asks ‘what diplomatic, legal, financial and other instruments the Netherlands can deploy to combat impunity for violence against aid workers.’

Content

In this advisory report the AIV and the CAVV address:

  • the data relating to attacks on aid workers,
  • the applicable legal framework for the protection of humanitarian personnel,
  • the causes of violence against aid workers, focusing in particular on the issue of impunity,
  • developments in the humanitarian field that impact on the security of aid workers, such as the current funding crisis.

The report concludes with recommendations to the Dutch government.