Protecting Healthcare in Conflict and Seeking Accountability

Medical facilities have been increasingly targeted in conflict settings to inflict terror on civilian populations as well as maximise disruption to critical lifesaving services. Though protected under international law, medical facilities around the world in places such as Syria and Ukraine continue to be attacked. In their remarks, Waad Al-Kateab and Dr Hamza al-Kateab discuss how their Stop Bombing Hospitals campaign is working to build a movement to protect healthcare in conflict and seek accountability. About the Speakers: Waad Al-Kateab is the director of For Sama (2019), winner of a BAFTA and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary, in which she introduced global audiences to the unimaginable lived realities of civilians and medical personnel under attack in Syria. Dr. Hamza al-Kateab was the director of the last remaining hospital in East Aleppo, Al-Quds, during continued attacks by the Syrian and Russian regimes. He was responsible for the healthcare of the entire population in the area during the besiegement of the city and for the medical evacuation during the forced displacement in 2016. Together, Hamza and Waad Al-Kateab founded Action for Sama and have since led the Stop Bombing Hospitals campaign, with the aim to shed light on the attacks perpetrated against healthcare facilities, seeking accountability for such crimes and amplifying the voices of healthcare professionals on the ground.