UN Women Says 1 Million Lost Aid as US Drove 75% of Global Funding Decline
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 10
UN Women Says 1 Million Lost Aid as US Drove 75% of Global Funding Decline
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 10
Summary
At least 1 million women and girls lost access to humanitarian and critical support over the past 18 months, UN Women said, citing the sharpest annual drop in foreign aid on record.
US foreign assistance fell by more than 50% in 2025 from 2024, OECD data cited in the report showed, with Washington accounting for three-quarters of the global decline after sweeping Trump-era aid cuts.
Among 855 women-led and women’s rights groups surveyed across 52 crisis-hit countries, 84% reported rising demand since January 2025 and nearly 90% said they can no longer meet current needs.
Two in five organizations expect to shut down within a year, while half have already introduced waiting lists or turned women and girls away; 92% also reported rising poverty and 82% more girls leaving school.
UN Women said the cuts are hitting frontline groups in places such as Afghanistan, Congo and Haiti, where they often operate beyond the reach of larger international agencies.
The UN reports a million women have lost aid. Is this the end of a global consensus on humanitarian responsibility?
With Western aid contracting, can China and Gulf states reshape global humanitarianism and gain influence in vulnerable nations?
How does dismantling global health programs create the perfect storm for the next pandemic to reach America's shores?
The 2025-2026 Humanitarian Aid Crisis: One Million Women and Girls Face Catastrophe Amid Global Funding Cuts
Overview
The report reveals how the global humanitarian funding crisis is causing a devastating catastrophe, placing a million women and girls at extreme risk as vital support systems collapse. Frontline women’s organizations, often the only providers of life-saving services, now face an existential threat, leading to a severe reduction in essential services. As a result, vulnerable women and girls are left without critical aid, including support for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, while displaced mothers face greater hardship and girls’ access to education is further obstructed. This chain reaction deepens existing education gaps and increases insecurity for those most in need.