|
||
|
TWN
Info Service on UN Sustainable Development (Mar25/03) Penang, 21 Mar (Kanaga Raja) — “Brutal funding cuts in the humanitarian sector are putting millions of lives at risk”, Mr Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, has warned. In a statement issued on 20 March highlighting the impact of global aid cuts on refugees, the head of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said the consequences for people fleeing danger will be immediate and devastating. In this regard, he said that refugee women and girls at extreme risk of rape and other abuse are already losing access to services that kept them safe. Children are being left without teachers or schools, pushing them into child labour, trafficking, or early marriage, while refugee communities will have less shelter, water and food, said Mr Grandi. Most refugees stay close to home. Slashing aid will make the world less safe, driving more desperate people to become refugees or keep moving onwards, he added. “UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has sought innovative and efficient ways to deliver its mission, making the most of every donation for those fleeing danger,” Mr Grandi pointed out. “Over 90 per cent of our staff are on the front lines, delivering for affected communities,” he said. “Together with our partners, we responded to 43 refugee emergencies last year alone. With less funding, fewer staff and a smaller UNHCR presence in countries hosting refugees, the equation is simple: lives will be lost,” Mr Grandi warned. He said this “is not just a funding shortfall – it is a crisis of responsibility. The cost of inaction will be measured in suffering, instability and lost futures.” However, Mr Grandi said: “Our commitment to people forced to flee remains unwavering.” “With continued support, we can identify and assist the most vulnerable, rapidly deploy when new emergencies hit, help stabilize fragile regions and facilitate the safe return home of refugees,” he added. “We appeal to member States to honour their commitments to displaced people. Now is the time for solidarity, not retreat.” Earlier, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that an unprecedented 30 per cent reduction in estimated donor funding for the year, including a major decrease in United States-funded projects worldwide, has forced it to implement “essential structural adjustments” at its Geneva headquarters and globally. In a statement issued on 18 March, IOM said that the reduction in funding has severe impacts on vulnerable migrant communities, exacerbating humanitarian crises and undermining vital support systems for displaced populations. Further, this adjustment includes scaling back or ending projects affecting over 6,000 staff members worldwide and implementing a structural realignment at headquarters, reducing headquarters staffing by approximately 20 per cent (more than 250 staff), it added. The statement underlined that at a time when conflict, climate-induced disasters, and economic instability are driving record levels of displacement, migration is not a peripheral issue, it is central to global security, stability, and sustainable development. “The world is witnessing historic displacement levels, yet funding to address the root causes of displacement is shrinking,” IOM pointed out. (See SUNS #10185 dated 20 March 2025). A “TROUBLING” TREND These developments come as the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), a private humanitarian organization operating in 40 countries around the world, on 14 March released its Global Displacement Forecast Report 2025. Highlighting “a troubling trend”, the report said that the number of displaced people worldwide is expected to rise significantly from the current 122.6 million. By the end of 2026, an additional 6.7 million people are projected to be displaced globally, with sub-Saharan Africa and Asia experiencing the largest increases of approximately 3.1 million and 1.8 million respectively, followed by the Middle East, with an anticipated increase of around 900,000 displaced people, it added. Of the 6.7 million people forecasted to be displaced by the end of 2026, some 70% will be internally displaced. “We live in an age of war and impunity, and civilians are paying the heaviest price,” said the DRC’s Secretary-General Charlotte Slente, in a news release posted on the DRC’s website. “Our AI-driven modeling paints a tragic picture: 6.7 million people displaced over the next two years,” Slente added. She said: “These are not cold statistics. These are families forced to flee their homes, carrying next to nothing, and searching for water, food, and shelter.” According to DRC, globally, Sudan is the world’s biggest displacement and hunger crisis. DRC said that its projections show that it will continue to be the most urgent humanitarian crisis: by the end of 2026, another 2.1 million people will be displaced, adding to the 12.6 million people already displaced inside Sudan and to neighbouring countries. Meanwhile, it said that in Myanmar, an intense multi-front civil war has intensified and resulted in 3.5 million people displaced, and nearly 20 million people, or a third of the population, need humanitarian assistance. DRC said that it is forecasting 1.4 million new forced displacements by the end of 2026. The United States, formerly the world’s largest global donor, has terminated 83% of USAID contracts, and other major donors are also cutting aid, it noted. This withdrawal comes at a time when humanitarian needs are at an all-time high, said the DRC. According to DRC analysis included in this year’s report, the cancellation of all US aid funding could result in 57 million fewer people being reached with critical humanitarian aid, said the DRC news release. “Millions are facing starvation and displacement, and just as they need us most, wealthy nations are slashing aid. It’s a betrayal of the most vulnerable,” said Slente. “We’re in the middle of a global “perfect storm”: Record displacement, surging needs, and devastating funding cuts. Major donors are abandoning their duty, leaving millions to suffer. This is more than a crisis. It is a moral failure,” she added. +
|
||
