Protecting health care against attacks: a collective…

Health care is under attack - violations that are strictly prohibited under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and other international legal frameworks. According to WHO's Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA), which systematically documents and verifies incidents of violence against health care, since its establishment in 2018, more than 8000 incidents of attacks on health care have been documented from 22 countries/territories. In 2025 alone, WHO has documented close to 500 incidents from 13 countries/territories.

The objectives of the meeting are as follows:

• To recall the importance of resolutions and mechanisms that call on all actors to take accountable actions in legal, operational and policy measures to prevent and protect medical facilities against attacks and ensure the right to health for all.
2025 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment
Side Event Concept Note Page 3
• To share experiences with stakeholders on concrete means to prevent attacks on health care including successes, challenges and potential solutions, to generate practical recommendations.
• To generate practical policy and operational recommendations, including innovative healthcare delivery methods to ensure the continuity of health care and mitigate the impact of attacks.