On World Humanitarian Day, Dr Bavdek thanks all humanitarian workers, volunteers and organisations helping people in Slovenia facing the most difficult circumstances in life.
'Their work is an expression of solidarity, humanity and responsibility towards others, while also making an important contribution to the realisation of human rights and the preservation of individual dignity. Humanitarian organisations are often the first to identify hardship that would otherwise remain hidden, reaching people who, because of poverty, illness, age, disability, homelessness, migration status or other circumstances, have greater difficulty accessing assistance and support.”
Humanitarian action has a long and important tradition in Slovenia. The latest official data on organised volunteering clearly illustrates its scale. In 2025, 229,000 volunteers were active in 2,878 volunteer organisations and organisations with volunteer programmes. Together, they performed 8.6 million hours of voluntary work, most of which was in social welfare. The estimated value of their work exceeded €85 million. As official records do not include all spontaneous and informal volunteering, the actual contribution of volunteering is even greater.
'Behind these figures are real people and their life stories — people who devote their time, knowledge, and energy to others and people who, thanks to their assistance, are better able to overcome life's most difficult challenges. Through their work, humanitarian organisations and volunteers ensure that human rights are not just written down, but can actually be enjoyed by individuals. I sincerely value their professionalism, dedication and humanity,” emphasised Ombudswoman Dr Simona Drenik Bavdek.
The importance of humanitarian organisations is also recognised in the Slovenian legal order. The Humanitarian Organisations Act sets out the conditions and criteria for obtaining humanitarian organisation status, and stipulates that their programmes and services must directly benefit individuals by rescuing those at risk, alleviating social and psychosocial distress, improving social circumstances, and promoting health.
At the same time, the challenges faced by these organisations and their staff must not be overlooked. People’s needs are becoming increasingly complex, and providing assistance often requires specialist knowledge, long-term support, and coordination between different services. As well as providing direct assistance, organisations must secure stable funding, recruit and train volunteers, protect the safety of their staff, and maintain the quality of their programmes. The Ombudsman therefore emphasises that the state and local authorities must provide the conditions necessary for humanitarian organisations to operate in a stable, professional, safe and independent manner. Funding must be sufficient and predictable; procedures must be transparent; and organisations must be able to draw attention to systemic shortcomings and advocate for the needs of people in distress.
'Charity and humanitarian aid cannot and must not replace the obligations of the state.' Access to food, adequate housing, healthcare and social protection, and the conditions necessary for a dignified life must not depend solely on charity or individuals' willingness to help.” Humanitarian organisations play an important role in complementing the welfare state by drawing attention to gaps in the system and assisting people in their greatest moments of need. However, the state must ensure that human rights and basic social security are realised systematically, promptly, accessibly, and without discrimination,' the ombudsman stressed.
World Humanitarian Day also reminds us that humanitarian workers in many parts of the world carry out their mission in extremely dangerous conditions. Over 242 million people require humanitarian assistance, and more than one thousand humanitarian workers have been killed over the past three years, most of whom were locally recruited staff helping in their own communities. The World Health Organization has recorded 914 attacks on healthcare this year alone.
The Ombudsman stresses that protecting humanitarian and healthcare workers is not a matter of goodwill, but a legal obligation. Those involved in armed conflicts must respect international humanitarian law, allowing safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance and protecting humanitarian and medical personnel, patients, medical facilities and means of transport. Alleged violations must be independently and effectively investigated, and those responsible for established violations must be held accountable.
The Ombudswoman welcomes Slovenia’s endorsement of the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel and its participation in the Global Initiative to Galvanise Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law. However, these commitments must be accompanied by concrete action and consistent diplomatic advocacy for respect for international law, as well as sufficient and predictable support for humanitarian action at home and abroad.
'World Humanitarian Day is therefore also an opportunity to ask ourselves what kind of society we wish to be: one that notices people in distress; one in which solidarity and volunteering are valued and encouraged; and one in which humanitarian workers and volunteers are not left to fend for themselves. Their work deserves our recognition, and above all, they deserve to be able to carry out their mission safely, professionally, and with dignity,” concluded Ombudswoman Dr Simona Drenik Bavdek.
