UN Women, a United Nations entity dedicated to promoting gender equality and empowerment of women has sounded an alarm of a possible shutdown of organizations aiding girls and women in crises due to aid cuts.
In a press release, Chief of UN Women Humanitarian Action Sofia Calltorp says that with just US Dollars 3.05 billion of the total US Dollars 44.79 billion required as funding, humanitarian actors are being forced to scale back life-saving operations and prioritize the most urgent needs in these organizations.
She says that due to the funding deficit, nearly half of women’s rights organizations providing essential, life-saving services for women and girls in close to 73 countries globally face slowed operations and eventual closure as a result of the drastic reductions in funding.
“The situation is critical. Women and girls simply cannot afford to lose the lifelines that women’s organizations are providing. Despite their roles as essential providers, advocates, and watchdogs, women’s organizations have been severely underfunded even before the recent wave of reductions. Supporting and resourcing them is not only a matter of equality and rights, but it is also a strategic imperative,” she noted.
According to findings from a survey conducted by UN Women in March this year across 44 humanitarian and crisis settings including those in Kenya, 90 per cent of surveyed organizations reported being financially impacted by the funding cuts.
The most affected include programmes and services in Gender Based Violence response (67 per cent), protection (62 per cent), livelihoods and multipurpose cash assistance (58 per cent), and health care (52 per cent).Others that are likely to be affected include Advocacy (47 per cent),Coordination (46 per cent), Education (31 pert) and Food Security (28 per cent) while Women and Peace & Security and Social Inclusion (26 per cent).
About 62 per cent of the women-led and women’s rights organizations surveyed also said they have had to reduce services to women and girls. Additionally, 51 per cent of the organisations said they were forced to suspend programmes while 33 per cent of the organizations said they are facing severe cash flow issues.
Further, as a result of the reduced funding, 47 per cent of the women’s rights organizations are expecting to shut down within six months if current conditions persist while 35 per cent of the organizations said they were uncertain about their future and were unable to plan or sustain their work. From the findings, only 18 per cent of the sampled organizations had prospects of staying operational for more than a year.
“Ninety per cent of women-led and women’s rights organizations surveyed report that they have been financially impacted. About 62 per cent have been significantly impacted while 28 per cent are somewhat affected by the recent global foreign assistance reductions,” reads the study findings.
Besides affecting normal functions, findings from the study also revealed that due to the credit crunch 72 per cent of these organizations have already laid off staff while another 51 per cent of the organizations have suspended their operations with Ms Calltorp warning that the beneficiaries risk exposure to threats.
Ms Calltorp has however said that UN Women will continue to advocate for enhanced funding to ensure that vulnerable girls and women continue to have access to support.
“Amid growing challenges, women’s organizations remain unwavering, leading with courage, advocating for their communities, and rebuilding lives with resilience and determination. UN Women stands alongside women’s organizations worldwide, echoing their urgent call for sustained funding. These organizations are cornerstones of our collective humanitarian response driving change, offering hope, and delivering critical support to women, girls and their communities in the world’s toughest crises,” said Ms Calltorp.
By Wangari Mwangi
