The UN refugee agency estimates that a “dramatic” funding crisis poses a risk of preventing access to humanitarian aid for more than 11 million refugees.
UNHCR’s funding situation was revealed in a report released on Friday, which claimed it had only received 23 percent of the $10.6 billion goal for the year so far and that it had projected an end-of-year budget of only $3.5 billion.
Our funding situation is troubling, according to Dominique Hyde, UNHCR’s director of external relations.
“We worry that UNHCR’s humanitarian assistance is being withdrawn from the hands of up to 11.6 million refugees and people who have fled.”
Countries with slashed contributions were not named in the report, but a significant decrease in funding from the United States, which made up more than $ 2 billion of the organization’s overall donations last year.
President Donald Trump’s administration, which it claims is a part of its wider plan to eliminate wasteful spending, has cut funding for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and its aid programs around the world since taking office in January.
UNHCR reported that in many nations, including Sudan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan, aid programs that were halted or suspended had to be stopped or suspended.
According to the report, “On the Brink: The devastating toll of aid cuts on people forced to flee,” critical areas like medical aid, education, shelter, nutrition, and protection are among the services that are suffering severe cuts.
Some 230 000 children in Bangladesh are at risk of losing their education because they have spent years living in overcrowded camps as a result of Rohingya refugees.
Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by UNHCR funding cuts, with the organization having to reduce gender-based violence programs by a quarter.
According to the report, Afghanistan’s women and girls are the hardest hit by cuts.
Over 50% of protection activities have been cut, putting pressure on programs for women’s empowerment, mental health, prevention, and gender-based violence, according to Hyde.
UNHCR is reducing 3,500 staff positions at its Geneva headquarters and regional offices by a third overall.
Source: Aljazeera
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