One Million Women Lose Access to Vital Support Amid Aid Cuts, Warns UN

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, July 12, 2026

The United Nations reported that foreign aid cuts since January 2025 have forced at least one million women and girls to lose access to crucial support services, causing many women-led organizations in conflict zones to collapse. These reductions have heightened risks of gender-based violence, increased poverty, and disrupted education, while threatening the survival of groups that assist survivors and promote women's leadership during the world's worst humanitarian crises in decades.

The United Nations has raised alarm over the impact of significant cuts to foreign aid since January 2025, warning that at least one million women and girls have lost access to critical support services. The UN Women agency described a collapse of women’s organizations amid soaring demand, particularly in conflict-affected regions.

Sofia Calltorp, head of humanitarian action at UN Women, told reporters in Geneva on Friday that these organizations operate on the frontlines of complex humanitarian crises in countries such as Afghanistan, Gaza, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Yemen. She emphasized that every dollar withdrawn from women’s groups removes vital assistance from survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, displaced mothers, girls forced out of school, and vulnerable communities.

The cuts in aid follow reductions in foreign aid budgets by major donors, including a notable decrease initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump after taking office in 2025. Other donor nations have also tightened aid spending, further straining the capacity of women-led organizations to meet rising needs.

UN Women’s recent report, based on inputs from 855 women’s rights groups operating in 52 crisis-affected countries, found that 84 percent of these organizations faced increased demand for their services since early 2025. However, nearly nine in ten report being unable to meet current levels of need, while two in five expect to cease operations either temporarily or permanently within the next year.

To continue functioning, many organizations have relied heavily on unpaid labor. The report highlights that 65 percent of women-led groups have staff working without pay, and nearly half are experiencing rising staff burnout. Calltorp also warned that cases of conflict-related sexual violence doubled in 2025 just as support systems protecting survivors deteriorated. Additionally, 86 percent of respondents reported an increase in gender-based violence within the communities they serve.

The agency pointed to broader social consequences stemming from these cutbacks and the simultaneous erosion of women’s rights globally. One in five organizations has halted work on advancing women’s leadership and gender equality, while over half have observed declining female participation in community leadership and decision-making processes. Around 90 percent noted rising poverty levels among women, with significant increases also seen in girls dropping out of school and forced marriages.

The report stresses the human impact of these reductions, citing examples such as women seeking shelter being turned away due to closures, pregnant women forced to travel long distances for medical care, and mothers unable to access food aid for their children.

With armed conflicts at their highest since World War II, the UN estimates that approximately 120 million women and girls require humanitarian assistance and protection. The ongoing financial constraints threaten to exacerbate an already critical global humanitarian crisis focused on the needs of women and girls in conflict zones.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.