Key facts
- At least one million women and girls have lost access to life-saving support due to global donor aid cuts.
- Nearly nine in 10 women's organizations can no longer meet demand.
- The Trump administration significantly reduced foreign assistance.
- 40% of surveyed women's organizations face closure risk within a year.
- 60% of organizations are reaching fewer women and girls than before January 2025.
- 65% of women-led organizations report staff working without pay.
At least one million women and girls have lost access to essential support over the past year due to significant global donor aid cuts, according to a new UN Women report. The steepest drop in aid funding on record has left nearly nine in 10 women's organizations unable to meet the escalating demand for their services.
The report highlights that the Trump administration reduced foreign assistance by billions of dollars, while other major international donors have also cut their aid budgets due to fiscal pressures and increased defense spending. This reduction in funding creates critical gaps in humanitarian coverage, as these organizations are often the sole providers of aid to vulnerable women and girls.
Globally, approximately 120 million women and girls require humanitarian assistance and protection. However, 40% of the 855 women's organizations surveyed in countries like Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Haiti are at risk of temporary or permanent closure within the next year due to financial shortages. A majority of these organizations report reaching fewer women and girls than before January 2025, despite surging demand.
Further compounding the crisis, 65% of women-led organizations have staff working without pay to maintain services. Half have implemented waiting lists or are turning away individuals, and over three-quarters have reduced their staff roles. The report also notes a doubling in cases of conflict-related sexual violence last year, leading to a reduction in available safe spaces and gender-based violence case management services. Additionally, one-fifth of organizations have suspended initiatives focused on advancing women's leadership and gender equality, indicating a broader gender backlash.