Over 11 million refugees may lose aid access due to donor funding cuts, says UN agency
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Forced displacement is increasing globally, while humanitarian aid is sharply decreasing, creating a “deadly cocktail”.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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GENEVA – Up to 11.6 million refugees are in danger of losing access to humanitarian assistance due to cuts in foreign aid by donor nations, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said on July 18.
This is about a third of refugees normally supported by the UN agency, it said.
“Our funding situation is dramatic. We fear that up to 11.6 million refugees and people forced to flee are losing access to humanitarian assistance provided by UNHCR,” said Ms Dominique Hyde, UNHCR’s director of external relations.
Just 23 per cent of the UNHCR’s funding requirement of US$10.6 billion (S$13.6 billion) has been fulfilled so far for 2025, it said.
The funding crisis stems from large foreign aid cuts by donor countries such as Sweden, France and Japan, compounded by major US aid cuts.
Forced displacement is increasing globally, while humanitarian aid is sharply decreasing, creating a “deadly cocktail”
The agency said it has had to stop or suspend about US$1.4 billion worth of aid programmes, including a 60 per cent reduction in emergency relief supplies in many countries, including Sudan, Chad and Afghanistan.
Critical areas such as medical aid, education, shelter, nutrition and protection are among the services being lost.
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by UNHCR funding cuts, with the agency having to cut a quarter of its support to programmes that provide protection and response to gender-based violence.
Women and girls in Afghanistan are the hardest hit by cuts, UNHCR said.
“Protection activities have been slashed by over 50 per cent, undermining programmes on women’s empowerment, mental health and prevention and response to gender-based violence,” Ms Hyde said.
Globally, the agency is downsizing by 30 per cent
