2024 was already the deadliest year for humanitarian workers worldwide, breaking the record set in 2023. This trend is primarily the result of significant levels of violence in Palestine and other conflict-affected countries, including Myanmar, Sudan and Ukraine
SEVERE ACCESS
CONSTRAINTS
Access scores show a deterioration in 20% of the crisis-affected countries (19 countries) and an improvement in 14% (13 countries), while the humanitarian access situation remained stable for 66% (61 countries).
This stability, however, mostly indicates the persistence of severe access constraints, with 43% of the crisis-affected countries where humanitarian access remained stable scoring between high to extreme access levels (3–5).
WHAT IS THE HUMANITARIAN ACCESS SITUATION ACROSS THE GLOBE?
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Disclaimer: some countries with active humanitarian crises might score 0 in ACAPS' Humanitarian Access Index in two instances: 1) the crisis emerged after the December 2024 issue of the index - in that case, the score is automatically 0, in the absence of data/historical data; 2) the actual score is 0 because no humanitarian access constraints were reported.
HUMANITARIAN ACCESS SCORES over time
SOUTH SUDAN
South Sudan saw a score increase to 5, recording extreme access constraints from June–November 2024. This deterioration is mainly attributed to a worsening of physical constraints and insecurity for affected populations and humanitarian workers.
Extreme constraints persist in Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Palestine, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen as a result of escalating conflicts amid growing bureaucratic and physical restrictions for humanitarian responders.
Between June–November 2024, humanitarian access across crises continued to be challenged especially by physical constraints, such as damage to roads and bridges, and violence affecting access to services, particularly in countries affected by conflicts or climate hazards.
This overall trend remained stable over the reporting period and is explained by the frequency of extreme weather events in countries already experiencing significant humanitarian access constraints given poor road infrastructure and remote locations, often in contexts of armed conflict.
Movement restrictions, administrative and bureaucratic constraints, and interference by authorities and non-state armed groups in humanitarian activities remained prevalent across crises, hampering or delaying the response.
In countries with high numbers of refugee and migrant populations, such as Egypt, Greece, and Tunisia, restrictive administrative measures imposed by authorities continue to complicate access to services for people on the move.
CAMEROON, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, ETHIOPIA, LEBANON
Intense conflict, lockdowns, and violence against humanitarian workers disrupt humanitarian activities, affecting thousands of people.
HOW ARE THE ACCESS LEVELS BEING CALCULATED?
Our methodology groups 9 indicators under 3 pillars: each indicator is given a score from 0–3 and X when there is an information gap. The model then combines the indicators in pillars, where they get a final score on a scale of 0–5.
PILLAR 1: ACCESS OF PEOPLE IN NEED TO HUMANITARIAN AID
indicators under PILLAR 1
1: Denial of existence of humanitarian needs or entitlements to assistance
2: Restriction and obstruction of access to services and assistance
Iraq, Niger, Palestine
32% of the crisis-affected countries in the ACAPS Global Humanitarian Access Index scored 3–5 for this pillar. The majority of these countries face protracted crises marked by the denial of entitlement to assistance to some affected groups, often by the authorities, and movement restrictions imposed by the authorities, national armed forces, or non-state armed groups, hampering the ability of affected people to access aid.
Since October 2023, Israeli military operations in Palestine, especially in Gaza, have resulted in extremely high access restrictions and unprecedented violence against humanitarian personnel, facilities, and assets, as a result of direct and indirect attacks.
PILLAR 2: ACCESS OF HUMAnITARIAN RESPONDERS TO PEOPLE IN NEED
indicators under PILLAR 2
3: Impediments to enter the country
4: Restriction of movement within the country
5: Interference into implementation of humanitarian activities
6: Violence against humanitarian personnel, facilities, and assets
Burkina Faso, Haiti, Nigeria
25% of the crisis-affected countries in the ACAPS Global Humanitarian Access Index scored 3–5 for this pillar. These are mainly countries facing protracted conflicts, with a stable global access score ranging from 3–5, that across the years have tended to record frequent incidents of violence against humanitarians and recurrent or systemic obstruction and interference in the implementation of humanitarian activities.
Humanitarian access in Afghanistan remains greatly restricted owing to a combination of factors, including administrative and bureaucratic obstructions, a volatile security situation, and physical and environmental constraints.
PILLAR 3: PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SECURITY CONSTRAINTS
Indicators UNDER PILLAR 3
7: Insecurity or hostilities affecting humanitarian assistance
8: Presence of landmines, improvised explosive devices, explosive remnants of war and unexploded ordnance
9: Physical constraints in the environment
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Chad
61% of the crisis-affected countries in the ACAPS Global Humanitarian Access Index scored 3–5 for this pillar, the highest percentage across all pillars. The crises concerned are mainly driven by conflict and/or climate hazards, where we observed obstacles related to terrain, climate and lack of infrastructure.
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Humanitarian access
18 November 2024
Myanmar: access constraints in Rakhine state
DOCUMENT / PDF / 284 KB
This report highlights the challenges surrounding aid delivery for humanitarian organisations and access to that aid for people in need. It aims to inform humanitarian responders, donors, and decision makers about the access constraints affecting their operations, staff, and the communities they serve.
29 October 2024
Ukraine: quarterly humanitarian access update (Q3 2024)
DOCUMENT / PDF / 4 MB
This report compares access challenges across Ukrainian oblasts to inform humanitarian responders and support decision-making. It is part of the ACAPS quarterly analysis of access constraints, with the previous report published on 29 July 2024.
Attached resources
05 August 2024
Humanitarian Access Overview - July 2024
DOCUMENT / PDF / 3 MB
This overview compares the overall level of humanitarian access between the last Global Humanitarian Access Index published in December 2023 (covering June–November 2023) and this latest ACAPS assessment (covering December 2023 to June 2024) published in July 2024.
Attached resources
28 February 2024
Humanitarian access situation in Myanmar
Extreme access constraints persist in Myanmar. Armed conflict and security measures, including checkpoints, roadblocks, and curfews, affect humanitarian access. Violence and insecurity resulting from the conflict have internally displaced many towards remote jungles and forests, where access to aid and services is very limited.
Around 600,000 Rohingya in Rakhine state continue to be denied citizenship and have limited freedom of movement and access to livelihood opportunities, education, and healthcare. Burdensome bureaucratic processes, travel authorisation denials and delays, visa delays for humanitarians, and banking restrictions hinder the operations of humanitarian organisations in the country.
For more details, please visit our thematic page on humanitarian access.
06 February 2024
Ukraine: quarterly humanitarian access update
DOCUMENT / PDF / 10 MB
This report aims to compare access challenges across different Ukraine oblasts to inform humanitarian responders and support their decision-making. It is part of the ACAPS quarterly analysis of access constraints, with the last report published on 8 November 2023.