Thousands of messages of solidarity from ANMF members and the Australian community are on their way to nurses, midwives, and healthcare workers in Gaza, where they will be translated into Arabic and delivered through the International Committee Red Cross and the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed gratitude to Australians who reached out with words of solidarity and support. For those on the ground, these messages are hoped to bring strength and a sense of hope amid unimaginable loss.
The ANMF continues to stand up for nurses and healthcare workers in all conflict zones — where too often, the facilities they work in are being targeted instead of protected, as required under the conventions of war.
Across Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and other conflict zones, hospitals and clinics are being bombed, and health professionals targeted simply for providing care. These acts violate international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, which guarantee the protection of medical staff, the wounded and sick, and civilians during war.
Through its Nurses and Midwives for Peace campaign, the ANMF has launched a petition calling on the Australian Government to publicly condemn all attacks on healthcare and take stronger action to protect health workers everywhere.
Coinciding with the petition, the Australian Government, in partnership with more than 100 other countries, has developed a Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel. Together, these nations are pledging concrete measures to keep humanitarian workers safe and enable them to continue their lifesaving work in conflict and disaster zones.
ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said the ANMF’s petition would strengthen the government’s efforts to protect healthcare workers in war zones, adding that nurses and midwives must continue to speak out.
“When healthcare becomes a target, it’s an attack on humanity itself. Our voices matter — and together, we can demand accountability and change.”
Add your voice for peace and protection
The ANMF is calling on members and the wider community to stand with nurses, midwives, and healthcare workers risking their lives to care for others.
- Sign the petition calling on the Australian Government to act.
https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/protect-healthcare-workers-in-conflict-zones
- Visit the ANMF website to learn more about the Nurses and Midwives for Peace campaign.
