Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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October 27, 2025 Women
The decline in foreign aid is undermining the work of organizations on the front lines of combating violence against women and girls, UN Women warns.
A new report from the agency, based on a global survey of 428 women's rights institutions and civil society organizations, shows that a third of them have been forced to suspend or close programs aimed at ending gender-based violence.
More than 40 percent reported decisions to reduce or discontinue vital services, including legal, psychosocial and health care, as well as crisis shelters, due to lack of funds.
The victims are left without support
Nearly 80 percent of organizations noted that survivors' access to the services they need had decreased, and 59 percent reported increased impunity and the normalization of violence.
“Women’s rights organizations are the backbone of progress in the fight against violence against women, but today they are on the brink of extinction,” said Kalliopi Mingeirou, head of UN Women’s End Violence against Women and Girls Unit.
"We cannot allow funding cuts to wipe out decades of progress. We call on governments and donors to consolidate and increase funding, making it more flexible. Without sustained investment, violence against women and girls will only increase," she added.
Earlier this year UN Women has already warnedthat many women's organizations operating in crisis conditions are on the verge of closure – fears that have now been confirmed.
Violence against women remains one of the most widespread human rights violations in the world. According to a UN agency, approximately 736 million women worldwide—almost one in three—have experienced physical or sexual violence, most often at the hands of an intimate partner.
Grim prospects
Only 5 percent of respondents said they would be able to continue their work for more than two years. Meanwhile, 85 percent predict significant setbacks in legislation and the protection of women's and girls' rights. More than half of the institutions expressed serious concern about the growing threats to women human rights defenders.
This year we celebrate30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – a key international plan for achieving gender equality, with the elimination of violence against women at its core.
At the same time, the authors of the report warn that the financial crisis is unfolding against the backdrop of broader movement against women's rights, which is observed in one in four countries. As funds are depleted, many organizations are forced to focus on emergency aid, cutting back on long-term programs promoting systemic change.
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