United Kingdom Ambassador to the United Nations Barbara Woodward has expressed concern over the detention of aid workers by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, calling for their immediate release.
She also called for urgent action to protect aid workers in conflict zones as she addressed a UN Security Council session on implementing Resolution 2730.
Speaking at the meeting on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, Woodward stressed the importance of maintaining momentum in ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of humanitarian workers.
“I pay tribute to those on the frontline and extend my condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives,” she said.
Woodward highlighted the escalating risks faced by aid workers, citing figures from the Aid Worker Security Database that recorded 64 deaths, 36 injuries, and eight kidnappings in just the first three months of 2025. She noted that the majority of those affected were local or national aid workers.
Woodward emphasized the need for all parties in conflict to comply with international humanitarian law, ensuring that humanitarian supplies, personnel, and aid workers are respected and protected.
Additionally, she called for greater support for humanitarian organizations, including local groups, whose work is hindered by inadequate funding and operational risks.
“Actors who play a fundamental role in aid worker safety face operational risks due to inadequate funding,” she said, pointing to the UK’s support for key security-focused groups such as the Aid Worker Security Database and the International NGO Safety Organization.
Woodward reaffirmed the UK’s unwavering commitment to ensuring aid workers can operate safely, saying: “The UK remains steadfast in our commitment to allowing aid workers to do their job in safety and preventing violence against aid workers from becoming the new normal.”