Aid cuts leave at least one million women and girls without support, UN Women reports

At least one million women and girls have been cut off from essential humanitarian assistance since January 2025, according to a statement released Friday by UN Women, the United Nations agency dedicated to gender equality. The agency warned that unprecedented reductions in aid funding are driving women’s organizations operating in conflict‑affected and disaster‑prone regions to the brink of collapse, jeopardizing services ranging from health care and protection to livelihood support.

UN Women attributed the shortfall to a combination of donor fatigue, shifting geopolitical priorities and the reallocation of resources toward other sectors. The agency highlighted that the loss of support is most acute in areas experiencing protracted crises, where women’s groups have traditionally served as primary conduits for aid delivery. The organization called on governments and international partners to restore and increase funding to prevent further erosion of the safety net for vulnerable women and girls, emphasizing that sustained assistance is critical to maintaining progress on gender‑specific humanitarian objectives.