Olivier Vandecasteele is Founder and Director of Protect Humanitarians
Olivier has dedicated over 20 years of his life to working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, supporting communities in crisis. His career took a personal turn when he was arbitrarily detained and held hostage for 456 days. Rather than allowing this incident to define him, Olivier turned pain into action, focusing on the protection of frontline humanitarian personnel. As the founder of Protect Humanitarians, he advocates for the safety of humanitarian workers and provides concrete support to those who face harm in the field.
Olivier’s humanitarian journey began with local volunteer work in Europe, where he supported marginalized communities, including people experiencing homelessness and those affected by substance use. After completing his studies, he joined the Disaster Mitigation Institute to assist with relief efforts following the 2001 Bhuj earthquake in India. This experience set him on a path dedicated to crisis response and humanitarian aid. Over the years, Olivier has provided critical assistance in some of the world’s most challenging environments, responding to health emergencies in Afghanistan and Mali, and supporting refugees and migrants in Morocco and Iran. He has held leadership positions as Country Director for both Médecins du Monde (MdM) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
On February 24, 2022, Olivier was arbitrarily arrested by Iranian authorities and held hostage for 456 days, more than 400 of which were spent in harsh solitary confinement. Amnesty International and the United Nations condemned his detention, recognizing that he was subjected to arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment. A large international campaign was organized to advocate for his release.
Less than a year after regaining his freedom, Olivier founded Protect Humanitarians, an NGO dedicated to advocating for the protection of humanitarian personnel and supporting survivors of such incidents and their families. Established in partnership with the King Baudouin Foundation, Protect Humanitarians focuses on improving the safety and well-being of humanitarian workers, particularly local personnel who are disproportionately affected by violence, kidnapping, and abuse, yet frequently receive less support and attention. The organization offers critical financial assistance, advocates for survivor-centered and trauma-informed mental health care, and emphasizes the importance of staff care for frontline personnel. It also conducts research and facilitates the exchange of best practices in mental health, staff care, and legal support for survivors of violent incidents.
Olivier’s ongoing advocacy has brought significant attention to the risks faced by humanitarian workers and the urgent need to enhance protection and support for frontline personnel. Through Protect Humanitarians, he is committed to fostering systemic change within the humanitarian sector to ensure that those who dedicate their lives to helping others are not forgotten when they themselves are in need.
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