UN Appeals for $1.4 Billion to Protect Women’s Health in Crisis Zones

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has launched a $1.4 billion appeal to combat reproductive health and gender-based violence in 57 countries experiencing humanitarian crises. The financing is designed to provide crucial services to approximately 45 million women, girls, and youth by 2025.

This year, a record 122.6 million people were displaced worldwide as a result of wars, natural disasters, and climate change, with half of them women and girls. These crises have severely limited access to life-saving care, raising the risks of maternal mortality, unsafe pregnancies, and gender-based violence, such as sexual assault and exploitation.

According to UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem, "Global crises are disproportionately affecting women and girls, leaving millions without access to the basic health and protection they need to survive."

Currently, there is a 75% financing gap in reproductive health resources across 34 nations, denying many women access to critical care. The 2025 appeal also addresses the needs of an estimated 11 million pregnant women who require urgent assistance.

The UNFPA aims to provide reproductive health services such as safe childbirth, contraception, and gender-based violence prevention programs. Dr. Kanem urged the international community to take action: "Investing in the health and dignity of women and girls is not only a humanitarian imperative, but also a step toward a future free of fear and violence."

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