Aid cuts leave at least one million women and girls without vital support
Aid cuts leave at least one million women and girls without vital support
Aid cuts leave at least one million - Since January 2025, over one million women and girls have been denied access to critical humanitarian aid, according to a new report by UN Women. The agency highlights that record-breaking aid reductions are pushing women-led groups in conflict areas toward collapse, as global humanitarian demands hit an all-time high.
Humanitarian needs surge amid funding shortages
The report, Beyond the Breaking Point, reveals that 120 million women and girls worldwide now require emergency assistance and protection. Despite this, local women's organizations—often the only ones operating in regions where international agencies struggle to reach—are facing severe financial shortfalls.
These groups play a vital role in the world’s most devastating crises, from Afghanistan to Haiti, sustaining survivors of violence, displaced families, and vulnerable populations long after global attention wanes. Yet, they are now being forced to scale back operations as funding dwindles.
"Every dollar withdrawn from women's organizations is a dollar withdrawn from survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, displaced mothers, girls forced from school, and communities struggling to survive," said Sofia Calltorp, UN Women Chief of Humanitarian Action.
Programs under threat as demand rises
The findings underscore that 90% of organizations can no longer fulfill current service levels, while 84% report growing needs. Women in remote areas are hit hardest, with 63% of groups reducing support in hard-to-reach regions. Simultaneously, 86% note a spike in gender-based violence, and 62% say safe spaces have diminished.
One in five organizations has halted programs focused on women’s leadership and gender equality, deepening a global trend of resistance against women’s rights. Many leaders of these groups, themselves displaced or living through conflict, continue working without adequate pay to keep essential services running.
Staff burnout and mental health challenges
Amid these strains, nearly half of organizations report worsening staff burnout, while 88% observe heightened mental health struggles among the women and girls they serve. The crisis is already forcing communities to cope with limited resources: half of surveyed groups have implemented waiting lists or turned people away due to unmet demand.
Women are also facing greater poverty, with 92% noting rising financial hardship among those they assist. Additionally, 82% report an increase in girls dropping out of school. The human cost includes mothers unable to feed their children and pregnant women traveling long distances for medical care.
Long-term implications of the funding gap
UN Women warns that the crisis extends beyond immediate needs. The decline in women’s organizations is undermining efforts to empower local women in decision-making. Over half of surveyed groups see reduced participation of women in leadership roles.
“Without immediate action, the organizations that have kept women and girls alive through the world’s worst crises risk becoming another casualty of war,” Ms. Calltorp concluded. The agency urges sustained investment, calling these groups essential to recovery, peacebuilding, and safeguarding rights.