Statement: MSF on Canada’s decision to sign the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel
“We reaffirm our commitments to respect and uphold international law… to champion the protection of all humanitarian personnel, and to preserve the irreplaceable role of principled humanitarian action as a lifeline for all civilians in times of conflict.”
These were the words the Canadian government committed again to uphold when it signed the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel on Sunday, September 21. This non-binding pledge led by the Australian government restates governments’ responsibilities to protect civilians and humanitarians under International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
For Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), this is not an abstract statement— it is our daily reality. In Gaza, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond, our hospitals have been bombed, our convoys destroyed and our colleagues killed while treating patients. We know first-hand the devastating consequences when warring parties ignore the rules of war.
Canada’s signature on this Declaration is a welcome signal of its commitment to uphold IHL. Now, Canada and other signatories must fulfill the Declaration’s commitment to practical action to increase the protection of humanitarian personnel – including by investigating every attack on doctors, nurses and aid workers, and by using the law to hold perpetrators to account. Canada must use its voice and power to ensure that those who target civilians, medical staff and facilities face real consequences for their war crimes.
Over 17,000 Canadians who signed our petition agree: Words on paper will not protect our colleagues and their patients in war zones. Accountability will.
