One Million Women Lose Aid Access Due to Funding Cuts, UN Women Reports

According to a recent report by the UN Women agency, at least one million women and girls missed out on important aid in the past year due to cuts in donor funding. This research shows that dwindling humanitarian budgets are adversely affecting entities run by women, leading to a failure to deliver the critical services including preventing gender-based violence, providing reproductive health care, educational support and places for women and girls in danger.

UN Women Publishes Report Showing Growing Humanitarian Gap

According to a UN Women report, almost 90% of the women’s organizations that were surveyed have difficulty meeting the existing needs of people with the increasing demand for help since January 2023.

This survey included 855 women’s organizations that were operating in countries, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Haiti.

Many of these organizations act as the main or the only providers of services to women and girls residing in conflict-affected regions that have witnessed displacement, food shortages, and natural disasters.

The services that these organizations provide such as,

• Protection for and assistance to the victims of gender violence.
• Safe places for women and girls.
• Access to healthcare and reproductive services.
• Education and training support.
• Help to displaced women and girls.

The UN Women Report’s Key Points

The report outlines the various shocking conclusions regarding the negative effects of decreased aid funding for women and girls around the globe.

Indicator	Finding
Women and girls impacted	At least 1 million lost access to essential support.
Women’s organisations unable to deliver support	Almost 90% cannot meet current demands.
Organisations on the verge of closing	40% might close down permanently or temporarily within one year.
Organisations for which fewer women and girls obtain help	60% currently assist fewer beneficiaries than before January 2025.
Staff working for free	65% report unpaid personnel still providing services.
Organisations terminating staff	Over 75% implemented cuts in staffing.

Reason Behind The Crisis

• The humanitarian crises happened because of the lessening aid budgets of important international contributors.
• According to the report, the USA, which is generally viewed as the most significant donor around the world, has lowered the amount of financial aid to foreign countries by 2025.
• Moreover, other countries made cuts in their donations due to economic unfavourable circumstances and the growing budgetary spending on defense and domestic needs.
• This decrease in the financing brings about significant shortages in humanitarian assistance and, in particular, program which are designed for women and girls. According to the report:
• The present number of women and girls struggling for humanitarian assistance and protection stands at 120 million.
• More than 40% of women’s organizations claim they will be obliged to stop working in the next year for lack of finances.
• 60% of the organizations can provide their services to the fewer women than before January 2025.

Women-led Organisations Under Pressure

• Organizations which are run by women have a good understanding of local environments and usually offer help to women and girls who are overlooked by big international organizations.
• However, as per the latest report reveals that such organizations are under a great economic strain.
• According to the survey, more than half of the respondents worked for free.
• 50 percent admitted to either being unable to help any women or girls or having made a waiting list for the applicants due to the lack of funds.
• Around 75 percent organizations have laid off some staff members recently.
• One in every five women-led organizations has stopped working on gender equality activities.

Impact on gender-based violence services

• Reductions in funding have had a particularly dire impact on services providing support to persons affected by gender-based violence.
• According to the report, the previous year experienced a doubling of instances of sexual violence in conflict zones while the resources dedicated to services that offer protection and assistance have been cut down.
• 62% of organizations have stated that the availability of safe spaces for females and females has declined due to reductions in funding.