Global Funding Crisis: What Does It Mean?

UNICEF has recently been grappling with significant budget cuts, making it one of the many organizations affected by the global funding crisis. These cuts threaten to reverse decades of progress in child development and protection. More critically, they put the lives of millions at even greater risk, especially in conflict zones such as Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon.

More Children Will Lose Their Lives to Crisis 

In less than two years, an estimated 12.2 million children across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have been killed, maimed, or displaced due to conflict. Now, following major funding cuts, UNICEF warns that in 2025, over 45 million children across the region will need humanitarian assistance to survive, up from 32 million in 2020, marking a 41 per cent increase in just five years. These children are facing continued life-threatening risks and extreme vulnerability, with no guarantee of protection, food, or medical care. At the same time, UNICEF’s ability to respond is rapidly diminishing. Field programmes and operational capacity are stretched thin and struggling to cope. 

More Children Will Die from Preventable Diseases 

As humanitarian funding continues to decline, an estimated 35% cut in dedicated emergency funding is expected across the Middle East and North Africa. This comes at a time when millions of children are already facing life-threatening conditions with limited access to healthcare, nutrition, and clean water. In Sudan, particularly in the Darfur region, the malnutrition crisis is deepening. Nearly 46% of children screened there have been diagnosed with malnutrition.  

The crisis doesn’t stop in Sudan. In Gaza, hunger, malnutrition, and the dire living conditions, continue to put the lives of children at risk of death, with the healthcare system on the verge of collapse and access to clean water severely limited. As UNICEF struggles to secure adequate funding, its ability to deliver life-saving assistance, including cash assistance, vaccinations, healthcare services, and Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, is now at serious risk. Without urgent support, we may lose the capacity to protect the most vulnerable. 

More Children Will Lose Access to Education 

The impact of the funding crisis goes far beyond emergency health and nutrition. Cuts to basic education services mean less support for schools, fewer trained teachers, and fewer safe learning environments. Already, 30 million children are out of school across the Middle East and North Africa. In Gaza alone, 645,000 children have been out of school since October 2023, with all schools completely shuttered due to the ongoing conflict. While temporary learning spaces have been established and are serving some children, the destruction is overwhelming.  

If funding continues to fall short, UNICEF will be forced to scale back its education services in war-torn areas such as Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, and others across the region.  

UNICEF Will Stay for Children in Crisis. Will You? 

Protecting the lives and upholding the rights of millions of children and their families in the region is our shared responsibility. Everything we were able to achieve over the past year was made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. Now, more than ever, we need to come together to continue delivering for children in need.  

Donate today and help us continue to stand strong for those who need us most.