Global Funding Crisis Threatens Health and Rights Programs for Women, Children, and Adolescents
A recent survey conducted by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) has uncovered a critical funding crisis that is jeopardizing health and rights programs for women, children, and adolescents around the world. The findings highlight the urgent need for global support to sustain these vital initiatives.
“This is not just a financial crisis—it’s a human one,” said Rajat Khosla, Executive Director at PMNCH. “As funding dries up, frontline organizations are being forced to scale back or suspend services that millions of women and children depend on. The world cannot afford to lose this momentum.”
A Global Call for Support
The survey, based on responses from partner organizations in over 20 countries across Africa, Latin America, and South-East Asia, reveals a cascading impact of global disruptions—ranging from reduced donor support to geopolitical instability and misinformation—that is undermining the delivery of women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health (WCAH) services.
Key findings include:
- 89% of partners faced reduced or uncertain funding in the past year.
- 81% report moderate to severe impacts on advancing WCAH goals.
- 62% downsized their programs, 37% temporarily suspended activities, and 19% permanently closed initiatives.
- 79% cite flexible, core funding as the top need to navigate global uncertainty.
Frontline Fallout
Programs targeting adolescent sexual and reproductive health, maternal and newborn care, and community-based services have been among the hardest hit. Respondents described halted outreach, reduced staff, and broken trust with local communities.
One partner explained that “mobile clinics [have been] cut from three days to one – fewer pregnant women reached; vaccinations interrupted” while another shared that “training [has been] halted. Staff laid off overnight. Months of trust building set back in a day.”
These disruptions are occurring amid compounding challenges, including shifting public health priorities (39%), reduced access to decision-making spaces (37%), growing misinformation—especially around SRHR (30%)—and new legal or policy restrictions on advocacy and civil society engagement (26%).
Abrupt Changes Erode Trust
The sudden halting of programs has had deep consequences for communities. One respondent described: “On 31st January, we were instructed to stop the implementation of our health programme with effect from 1st February. This abrupt decision had a devastating impact… The sudden halt not only affected direct service delivery but also undermined the trust built with communities and government counterparts.”
Such testimonies reveal how abrupt funding cuts and program suspensions can undo years of progress, strain community relationships, and limit opportunities to scale successful, locally led initiatives.
SRHR Programmes Suffer from Funding Cuts and Pushback
Respondents repeatedly cited sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) as one of the most vulnerable areas. One partner said the “normative ecosystem is being challenged by SRHR pushback [in addition to] donor funding,” while another shared that “Our in-school adolescent health programme has been suspended due to a lack of government commitment to sustain funding.”
Another respondent emphasized that “the most critical cuts have been in sexual and reproductive health and rights programming… there is growing uncertainty among staff, youth leaders, and communities.” Others described widespread program reductions, from family planning advocacy to GBV prevention and STI reduction efforts.
Health Workforce Among the Hardest Hit
Training and capacity building of the health workforce has emerged as one of the most pressing areas of concern in the survey. Partners report that essential training programmes, staff development, and technical support activities have been curtailed or closed entirely due to funding shortages.
A representative from a midwifery association shared that “several Midwifery Associations at the national level immediately closed programmes and training due to a lack of funding.” Similarly, a respondent from a nursing institution reported that “Nursing education in-country; had to reduce staff and funding for in-country activities has been difficult.”
Respondents pointed to system-wide consequences: “Quality improvement and system strengthening programmes at hospital and health centre (secondary and primary) levels have been impacted through reduction in available funding for existing and new programmes.”
Short-Term Projects Replace Long-Term Community Engagement
Many partners highlighted a troubling shift from sustained, community-based approaches to short-term, outcome-specific projects. One respondent explained: “Adolescent Health and Well-being… programmes have had to be scaled back due to resource constraints… donor funding has shifted away from long-term, community-based engagement to shorter-term, outcome-specific projects.”
Another noted that “Women’s Health and Empowerment Initiatives: Community-based interventions around maternal health, GBV prevention, and workplace health programmes (e.g., women in factories) have experienced interruptions.” This trend, several partners warned, weakens the continuity of care, erodes community trust, and undermines long-term impact.
Adolescents and Youth Engagement Reduced
Youth-focused programs have been severely disrupted. One respondent noted: “Within our organization, programmes focusing on adolescent and youth engagement in health and rights have been significantly affected… Due to uncertainty in funding and legal and policy restrictions on donors, these programmes have…been put on hold.”
Many others echoed this concern, citing the loss of safe spaces and mentorship structures for young advocates. One respondent said: “Our adolescent sexual and reproductive health outreach, which previously reached schools and youth centers, has been reduced in scale due to funding constraints.”
Advocacy, Capacity Building, and Engagement Curtailed
Beyond service delivery, advocacy and capacity-building efforts have also been deeply constrained. One advocate reported: “The funding cuts have led to a reduced number of staff who are able to engage in advocacy both at the global and national level… especially in a landscape where pushback against SRHR and Women’s rights is highly organized.”
A youth-led organization added further context: “Activities like workshops, awareness campaigns, and community outreach projects have faced the following impacts: Reduced in scale… Suspended… [and] Shifted online,” diminishing the reach and effectiveness of their work.
Partners’ Priorities for Resilience
Despite these setbacks, PMNCH partners remain steadfast in their commitment to advancing WCAH. Their top strategies for resilience include:
- Access to flexible/core funding to sustain advocacy and accountability work – 79%
- Capacity strengthening and training to adapt in rapidly changing contexts – 59%
- Joint campaigns and coordinated advocacy across constituencies – 58%
- Engagement in inclusive multi-stakeholder coalitions – 54%
- Better access to decision-makers and policy platforms – 49%
Partners also expressed a strong desire for collaboration and shared problem-solving. “Would be good to collaborate more with partners on helping countries to become less dependent on external aid,” one respondent said. Another added: “It would be a great idea for member organizations in Nigeria to host regular meetings to strategize on ways of mitigating common challenges.”
Call to Action
PMNCH is calling on donors, policymakers, and global leaders to protect and expand financing for women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health, and to prioritize flexible, long-term funding that enables local organizations to adapt quickly and respond to evolving crises.
“Hold the line on WCAH,” urged Rajat Khosla, Executive Director of PMNCH. “Every delay, every funding cut, risks reversing years of progress. We need sustained investment and coordinated action to ensure that no woman, child, or adolescent is left behind.”
