Over Half of Afghan Women’s Groups Risk Closure, Cutting Services for 1 Million

Q: As US and German aid disappears, which global powers are now stepping in to fill the humanitarian void?

The clearest new donors stepping into the gap left by U.S. and German cuts are the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. According to the Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2026, U.S. and German reductions accounted for nearly nine in ten dollars lost from the humanitarian system. In that reshuffle, Germany fell out of the top tier of donors and was overtaken by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which are now among the most prominent rising humanitarian funders. The broader picture is more mixed. European countries collectively have increased support in some crises, especially Ukraine, where Europe provided more aid than the United States in 2025. China has also expanded targeted humanitarian assistance, including new packages for countries such as Lebanon and Iran. India, Indonesia and other Global South donors are contributing in specific settings, including Afghanistan. But these new flows are not replacing what has been lost overall. The reporting tied to the UN Women findings makes clear that, despite some Gulf, European and Asian donors stepping up, the sector is still facing a severe net shortfall. Women-led organizations, especially in Afghanistan, remain under acute pressure, with many cutting services or nearing closure because replacement funding has not matched the scale of the U.S. and German pullback.

3 articles · Updated · UN Women · Jul 16

More than half of Afghan women’s organizations say they may suspend operations or shut within a year, as aid cuts have already left at least 1 million women and girls without critical services since January 2025.
A UN Women survey of 74 Afghan groups found nearly three-quarters faced funding cuts in 2025, two-thirds have six months or less of funding left, half received no new funding, and 92% lost staff.
The squeeze is already reducing access: 66% said many former users can no longer reach their services, while two-thirds scaled back education and income support and 58% cut gender-based violence programs.
Those organizations have become more vital as Taliban-era restrictions on women’s education, work and movement deepen demand for healthcare, psychosocial care, protection and livelihood training.
Across 52 crisis-affected countries, 84% of 855 women-led groups reported rising demand, but nearly 9 in 10 said they can no longer meet current needs.

Sources

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Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan: Aid Withdrawal, Taliban Repression, and the Fight for Women’s Survival in 2025

Overview

Since early 2025, Afghanistan has plunged into a worsening humanitarian crisis driven by severe aid cuts and restrictive Taliban policies, especially harming women and girls. The sharp reduction in funding for women’s organizations led to staff layoffs and a dramatic drop in their ability to deliver vital services. Many women working in these groups now sacrifice their own well-being to keep essential support running, with nearly two-thirds of organizations reporting staff working without pay. This dire situation threatens the very existence of these organizations, further deepening the crisis and leaving vulnerable communities without critical help.

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