The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) welcomes a new statement from Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) marking the 10-year anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 2286 and urging urgent global action to protect health care in conflict.
Read the full PHR press statement here.
PHR highlights the alarming rise in attacks on health care worldwide, documenting at least 18,000 incidents over the past decade. Despite the adoption of Resolution 2286, accountability remains extremely limited, and attacks on hospitals, health workers, and medical infrastructure continue to increase.
As noted in the statement, recent data underscores the scale of the crisis. In 2024 alone, SHCC documented 3,623 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care across 36 countries and territories—the highest annual total since monitoring began.
PHR calls on the UN Secretary-General and Member States to take immediate steps to address this crisis, including:
- Establishing a time-bound UN expert group to assess progress and gaps since Resolution 2286
- Recognizing the full impact of attacks on health systems and civilian populations
- Strengthening accountability under international law
- Addressing the broader “polycrisis” affecting health care in conflict settings
PHR also emphasizes that attacks on health care are increasingly part of broader strategies that undermine civilian life, with devastating consequences in contexts including Ukraine and Gaza.
As a member of SHCC, PHR joins the Coalition’s broader call for coordinated international action to end violence against health care in conflict. This includes stronger reporting by the UN, public identification of perpetrators, rejection of legal interpretations that weaken protections, and increased support for accountability mechanisms.
Leave a Reply