“This is not a drill” — Lives are already being lost
As needs skyrocket worldwide, humanitarian funding is collapsing. More than 300 million people now require urgent life-saving support. Yet just as the global humanitarian system is most needed, key funding sources are disappearing — and the impact is already deadly.
“This is not a drill right now,” Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said in a recent statement. “Many will die because that aid is drying up.”
People in crisis pay the price
Aid cuts are not abstract; they are measured in lives lost. And those who depend on aid — people displaced by war, affected by drought, or surviving conflict — are bearing the brunt. With needs growing and support shrinking, that means:
· In Afghanistan, 9 million people risk losing access to health care.
· In Yemen, safe spaces for women and girls are closing.
· In Ukraine, winter cash assistance has been suspended.
· In Burkina Faso, 300,000 people in Djibo may soon lose access to clean water.
Behind each statistic is a family without food, a child without medicine, a mother without protection.
A shock to the system
Cuts, including from major key donors, are already affecting operations globally and triggering what some are calling a systemic shock.
Humanitarian agencies are being forced to lay off staff, close offices, and stop delivering essential services. Local organizations — who lead responses in more than 80 per cent of crises — are being hit hardest. Many are running out of funds, unable to pay staff or deliver supplies.
“We cannot continue to do it all,” said relief chief Fletcher in a statement to humanitarian leaders. “With resources slashed, our defining mission must be saving lives.”
A humanitarian system reset
The humanitarian sector is not standing still. In response to today’s realities, a reset is underway to become faster, more efficient and more accountable.
“We’ll have to make a calculated regrouping,” Mr. Fletcher told the press recently. “It’s not about defending programmes or institutions or spreadsheets, but defending the people we serve.”
Key reforms include:
· Prioritizing the most life-saving assistance
· Empowering local responders with more direct funding
· Expanding use of cash-based aid
· Pooling logistics, data and shared services to cut duplication
· Streamlining coordination and reducing bureaucracy
“We must renew. Reimagine how we work … Build fresh arguments and allies, locally and globally,” Mr. Fletcher said.
Humanitarian aid is a lifeline and a global investment
Humanitarian aid is first and foremost about saving lives and protecting human dignity. It is a principled expression of solidarity with people caught in crisis — delivered impartially, based on need and grounded in international humanitarian law. When people are displaced by conflict, hit by disaster, or on the brink of famine, humanitarian aid provides a vital lifeline.
But the value of humanitarian aid doesn’t stop there. In today’s interconnected world, crises don’t stay confined. When left unaddressed, they spill across borders — driving instability, displacement, and global economic shocks.
Humanitarian aid helps:
- Prevent conflict and famine
- Contain disease outbreaks
- Reduce forced displacement
- Create the conditions for peace, recovery and prosperity
Understanding humanitarian aid
Understanding what humanitarian aid is — and what it isn’t — has never been more important.
Humanitarian aid is a high-return investment
Foreign aid — of which humanitarian assistance is just one part — usually accounts for less than 1 per cent of national budgets, yet delivers enormous returns. Humanitarian aid is also one of the most closely monitored forms of spending.
Humanitarian aid empowers communities
Most aid programmes contribute to resilience and self-reliance. From education to disaster preparedness, aid helps people recover and thrive.
Humanitarian aid reaches the people who need it most
Humanitarian aid prioritizes the most vulnerable — regardless of race, religion or politics. Today’s aid delivery combines local partnerships, digital tools like biometric verification, and real-time monitoring to track impact and prevent diversion. Independent audits and rigorous reporting ensure transparency and accountability at every stage.
Local actors are on the front lines
In over 80% of crises, local organizations lead. Aid strengthens — not replaces — their leadership.
Humanitarian aid is principled and life-saving
Humanitarian aid is strictly governed by international principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. It cannot be used for military purposes — it provides life-saving support like food, water, shelter, and medical care to people in crisis, regardless of politics.
The time to act is now
“We were already overstretched, under-resourced and literally under attack, with last year being the deadliest year on record to be a humanitarian worker. But it is far tougher for the 300 million plus people who we serve,” Mr. Fletcher told reporters.
Thankfully, public support for humanitarian aid remains strong. Over 70 per cent of people in donor countries back aid when it’s linked to disaster response and poverty reduction. In major crises, global public donations often exceed government pledges — showing that solidarity runs deep.
Even small contributions can make a big impact. For just $10, humanitarians can provide clean water for a family for a week in an emergency. In 2023, more than 30% of global humanitarian funding came from public donations.
· You can help: Donate
· Learn more about how life-saving humanitarian action at UNOCHA.org
· Share this article and help advocate for humanitarian aid.
